Methods to handle slicing accounting for evolved packet data gateway Wi-Fi access

ABSTRACT

Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. A user equipment (UE) may establish a cellular connection with a base station associated with a cellular radio network. The UE may receive an access policy of the cellular radio network identifying an access preference rule for the UE to adopt for connections to a core network function of the cellular radio network, the access preference rule indicating for the UE to preferentially connect to the core network function via a non-cellular radio network. The UE may determine that a gateway between the non-cellular radio network and the core network function of the cellular radio network is not configured. The UE may determine that a gateway selection policy of the cellular radio network is not configured. The UE may establish a connection to a legacy core network function of a legacy cellular radio network via a legacy gateway.

CROSS REFERENCE

The present application for patent claims the benefit of U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 63/011,854 by Zhang et al., entitled“METHODS TO HANDLE SLICING ACCOUNTING FOR EVOLVED PACKET DATA GATEWAYWI-FI ACCESS,” filed Apr. 17, 2020, assigned to the assignee hereof, andexpressly incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY

The following relates generally to wireless communications and morespecifically to methods to handle slicing accounting for evolved packetdata gateway Wi-Fi access.

BACKGROUND

Wireless communications systems are widely deployed to provide varioustypes of communication content such as voice, video, packet data,messaging, broadcast, and so on. These systems may be capable ofsupporting communication with multiple users by sharing the availablesystem resources (e.g., time, frequency, and power). Examples of suchmultiple-access systems include fourth generation (4G) systems such asLong Term Evolution (LTE) systems, LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) systems, orLTE-A Pro systems, and fifth generation (5G) systems which may bereferred to as New Radio (NR) systems. These systems may employtechnologies such as code division multiple access (CDMA), time divisionmultiple access (TDMA), frequency division multiple access (FDMA),orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA), or discreteFourier transform spread orthogonal frequency division multiplexing(DFT-S-OFDM). A wireless multiple-access communications system mayinclude one or more base stations or one or more network access nodes,each simultaneously supporting communication for multiple communicationdevices, which may be otherwise known as user equipment (UE).

SUMMARY

The described techniques relate to improved methods, systems, devices,and apparatuses that support methods to handle slicing accounting forevolved packet data gateway Wi-Fi access. Generally, the describedtechniques provide various mechanisms that address inconsistenciesbetween legacy cellular radio networks and advanced cellular radionetworks being deployed. That is, aspects of the described techniquesprovide mechanisms that can be implemented by a user equipment (UE)operating in a heterogenous environment that includes at least one of anon-cellular radio network (e.g., Wi-Fi network), a legacy cellularradio network (e.g., such as a 4th generation (4G) cellular radionetwork, a fifth generation (5G) new radio (NR) non-stand alone (NSA)cellular radio network, etc.), and/or a 5G NR stand-alone (SA) cellularradio network.

For example, a UE may establish a connection with a base stationassociated with a cellular radio network (e.g., a 5G NR SA connection).Whenever a UE establishes a connection with a base station, the basestation may generally configure, indicate, or otherwise convey to the UEvarious policies, protocols, and the like, for the cellular radionetwork. Accordingly, the UE may receive an access policy (e.g., a UEroute selection policy (URSP)) identifying an access preference rule forthe UE to use for connections to a core network function of the cellularradio network (e.g., for connections to a 5G core network (5GC)). Thatis, the URSP may generally indicate whether the UE is to preferentiallyroute outgoing traffic, e.g., the traffic can be routed to anestablished protocol data unit (PDU) session (such as to the 5GC via the5G NR SA base station), can be offloaded to a non-third generationpartnership project (3GPP) cellular connection, such as via a Wi-Finetwork, or to establish a new PDU session (e.g., a new PDU session to5GC via the 5G NR SA base station). In this example, the URSP mayindicate for the UE to preferentially connect to the 5GC via anon-cellular radio network, e.g., to route the outgoing traffic in thePDU session via a Wi-Fi network. However, the UE may determine that agateway (e.g., a 3GPP interworking function (N3IWF) gateway) between theWi-Fi radio network and the 5GC is not configured or is otherwiseunavailable. The UE may also determine that a gateway selection policy(e.g., an access network discovery selection policy (ANDSP)) is notconfigured for the 5G NR SA. Broadly, the ANDSP is used by the UE forselecting a non-3GPP access network, such as a wireless local areanetwork (WLAN), Wi-Fi network, etc. Accordingly, the UE may establish aconnection to a legacy core network function (e.g., an evolved packetcore (EPC) core network function) of a legacy cellular radio network(e.g., 4G and/or 5G NR NSA cellular radio network) via a legacy gateway(e.g., an evolved packet data gateway (EPDG)). Broadly, the EPDG may bea gateway function between the Wi-Fi network and the EPC. Thus, despitethe URSP giving preference to the Wi-Fi network and the fact that theANDSP and N3IWF are not configured or otherwise available, the UE maystill utilize the EPDG to connect to the EPC core network following theURSP access policy when no ANDSP/N3IWF are configured yet for the 5G NRSA cellular radio network.

Additionally, or alternatively, the UE may have established the cellularconnection with the base station in the 5G NR SA cellular radio network.However, in this example the URSP received by the UE may give preferenceto the 3GPP connection, e.g., for the UE to route the outgoing trafficto the 5G NR SA cellular radio network. That is, the URSP may givepreference for the UE to connect to 5GC via the 5G NR SA base station.However, the UE may determine that neither the N3IWF gateway nor theANDSP gateway selection policy are configured for the cellular radionetwork (e.g., for the 5G NR SA radio network). Subsequently, the UE maydetermine that its 5G NR SA cellular radio network has becomeunavailable, but that a Wi-Fi radio network is available. In response,the UE may establish a connection to a legacy core network function(e.g., EPC) of a legacy cellular radio network (e.g., 4G/5G NR NSA) viaa legacy gateway (e.g., EPDG). The UE may identify or otherwisedetermine a legacy access policy (e.g., an access network discovery andselection function (ANDSF) that gives preference for the UE to use anon-cellular radio network (e.g., a Wi-Fi network). That is, broadly theANDSF helps the UE discover non-3GPP access networks, such as WLAN,Wi-Fi networks, etc. However, the UE may determine that the 5G NR SAcellular radio network has become available again, and therefore mayestablish a new connection to the cellular radio network. That is, eventhough the ANDSF instructs the UE to give preference to a Wi-Fi network,the UE will follow the preference given in the URSP and reestablish itsconnection to the 5G NR NSA cellular radio network when the 5G NR SAnetwork becomes available again. Otherwise the UE may be stuck with theWi-Fi connection even though a more advanced 5G NR SA network isavailable.

Additionally, or alternatively, the UE may establish the cellularconnection to the 5G NR SA cellular radio network and receive the URSPthat, in this example, gives preference to the non-cellular radionetwork (e.g., gives preference to a non-3GPP network such as a Wi-Finetwork). Again, the UE may determine that neither the ANDSP nor theN3IWF are configured for the 5G NR SA cellular radio network, but that aWi-Fi network is available. Accordingly, the UE may establish aconnection to the EPC legacy core network function of the 4G/5G NR NSAlegacy cellular radio network via an EPDG gateway. The UE may receive orotherwise identify the ANDSF legacy access policy which, in thisexample, gives preference to a 3GPP connection. Previously the UE wouldping-pong between the 5G NR SA connection and Wi-Fi connection. However,to avoid such ping-pong, the UE may maintain the connection to the EPClegacy core network function via the EPDG legacy gateway. This approachavoids the UE frequently switching between the 5G NR SA network in whichthe URSP gives preference to a non-3GPP connection and the Wi-Fi networkin which the ANDSF gives preference to a 3GPP connection.

Additionally, or alternatively, the UE may establish a connection to anEPC legacy core network function of a 4G/5G NR NSA legacy cellular radionetwork via the EPDG legacy gateway. The UE may be configured with a setof traffic descriptors (e.g., the UE may have different applicationsoperating on the UE). For each traffic descriptor (e.g., eachapplication), the UE may identify the ANDSF legacy access policy thatgives preference to the UE to connect via either a cellular radionetwork (e.g., 3GPP cellular radio network) or a non-cellular radionetwork (e.g., a non-3GPP radio network). The UE may also identify orotherwise determine a legacy slice treatment associated with eachtraffic descriptor, e.g., based at least in part on the connection tothe EPC via the EPDG. The UE may establish a connection to a 5GC corenetwork function of a 5G NR SA cellular radio network via an N3IWFgateway. Accordingly, the UE may receive or otherwise identify a URSPaccess policy for the UE to adopt that also tells the UE whether topreferentially connect via either the cellular radio network or anon-cellular radio network. The UE may also determine or otherwiseidentify a slice treatment for each traffic descriptor, e.g., based atleast in part on the URSP access policy, traffic descriptor identifier,traffic descriptor type, etc. Accordingly, the UE may use the URSPaccess policy, the legacy slice treatment (from EPC), and/or the slicetreatment (from 5GC), to determine whether to transfer the connectionfor each traffic descriptor from the EPC via the EPDG gateway to the 5GCvia the N3IWF or to establish an updated connection with the 5GC via theN3IWF. Accordingly, the UE can ensure that each traffic descriptor isgiven the proper slice treatment and/or connection preference whenswitching from an EPC connection to a 5GC connection.

A method of wireless communication at a UE is described. The method mayinclude establishing a cellular connection with a base stationassociated with a cellular radio network. The method may also includereceiving an access policy of the cellular radio network identifying anaccess preference rule for the UE to adopt for connections to a corenetwork function of the cellular radio network, the access preferencerule indicating for the UE to preferentially connect to the core networkfunction via a non-cellular radio network. The method may includedetermining that a gateway between the non-cellular radio network andthe core network function of the cellular radio network is notconfigured and determining that a gateway selection policy of thecellular radio network is not configured. The method may further includeestablishing, based at least in part on the access preference rule, thegateway not being configured, and the gateway selection policy not beingconfigured, a connection to a legacy core network function of a legacycellular radio network via a legacy gateway between the non-cellularradio network and the legacy core network function of the legacycellular radio network.

An apparatus for wireless communication at a UE is described. Theapparatus may include a processor, memory coupled with the processor,and instructions stored in the memory. The instructions may beexecutable by the processor to cause the apparatus to establish acellular connection with a base station associated with a cellular radionetwork and receive an access policy of the cellular radio networkidentifying an access preference rule for the UE to adopt forconnections to a core network function of the cellular radio network,the access preference rule indicating for the UE to preferentiallyconnect to the core network function via a non-cellular radio network.The instructions may be executable by the processor to cause theapparatus to determine that a gateway between the non-cellular radionetwork and the core network function of the cellular radio network isnot configured and determine that a gateway selection policy of thecellular radio network is not configured. The instructions may also beexecutable by the processor to cause the apparatus to establish, basedat least in part on the access preference rule, the gateway not beingconfigured, and the gateway selection policy not being configured, aconnection to a legacy core network function of a legacy cellular radionetwork via a legacy gateway between the non-cellular radio network andthe legacy core network function of the legacy cellular radio network.

Another apparatus for wireless communication at a UE is described. Theapparatus may include means for establishing a cellular connection witha base station associated with a cellular radio network and means forreceiving an access policy of the cellular radio network identifying anaccess preference rule for the UE to adopt for connections to a corenetwork function of the cellular radio network, the access preferencerule indicating for the UE to preferentially connect to the core networkfunction via a non-cellular radio network. The apparatus may alsoinclude means for determining that a gateway between the non-cellularradio network and the core network function of the cellular radionetwork is not configured and means for determining that a gatewayselection policy of the cellular radio network is not configured. Theapparatus may also include means for establishing, based at least inpart on the access preference rule, the gateway not being configured,and the gateway selection policy not being configured, a connection to alegacy core network function of a legacy cellular radio network via alegacy gateway between the non-cellular radio network and the legacycore network function of the legacy cellular radio network.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing code for wirelesscommunication at a UE is described. The code may include instructionsexecutable by a processor to establish a cellular connection with a basestation associated with a cellular radio network and to receive anaccess policy of the cellular radio network identifying an accesspreference rule for the UE to adopt for connections to a core networkfunction of the cellular radio network, the access preference ruleindicating for the UE to preferentially connect to the core networkfunction via a non-cellular radio network. The code may also includeinstructions executable by the processor to determine that a gatewaybetween the non-cellular radio network and the core network function ofthe cellular radio network is not configured. The code may also includeinstructions executable by the processor to determine that a gatewayselection policy of the cellular radio network is not configured. Thecode may also include instructions executable by the processor toestablish, based at least in part on the access preference rule, thegateway not being configured, and the gateway selection policy not beingconfigured, a connection to a legacy core network function of a legacycellular radio network via a legacy gateway between the non-cellularradio network and the legacy core network function of the legacycellular radio network.

Some examples of the method, apparatuses, and non-transitorycomputer-readable medium described herein may further includeoperations, features, means, or instructions for receiving aconfiguration for connections via the non-cellular radio network, theconfiguration configuring the UE to connect to the legacy core networkfunction or to connect to the core network function via the non-cellularradio network.

Some examples of the method, apparatuses, and non-transitorycomputer-readable medium described herein may further includeoperations, features, means, or instructions for receiving aconfiguration for connections via the non-cellular radio network, theconfiguration configuring the UE to attempt to connect to the corenetwork function and, if the attempt to connect to the core network maybe unsuccessful, to connect to the legacy core network function via thenon-cellular radio network.

In some examples of the method, apparatuses, and non-transitorycomputer-readable medium described herein, the cellular radio networkincludes a 5G NR SA cellular radio network, the legacy cellular radionetwork includes at least one of a 4G LTE cellular radio network or a 5GNR NSA cellular radio network, the access policy includes a URSP, thegateway selection policy includes an ANDSP, the gateway includes a N3IWFbetween the core network function of the 5G NR SA cellular radio networkand the non-cellular radio network, and the legacy gateway includes anEPDG between an EPC core network function of the 4G LTE cellular radionetwork or the 5G NR NSA cellular radio network and the non-cellularradio network.

Another method of wireless communication at a UE is described. Themethod may include establishing a cellular connection with a basestation associated with a cellular radio network and receiving an accesspolicy of the cellular radio network identifying an access preferencerule for the UE to adopt for connections to a core network function ofthe cellular radio network, the access preference rule indicating forthe UE to preferentially connect to the core network function via thecellular radio network via a gateway between the cellular radio networkand the core network function. The method may also include determiningthat the gateway is not configured, determining that a gateway selectionpolicy of the cellular radio network is not configured, and determiningthat the non-cellular radio network is available and that the cellularradio network has become unavailable. The method may also includeestablishing, via the non-cellular radio network, a connection to alegacy core network function of a legacy cellular radio network via alegacy gateway between the legacy core network function and thenon-cellular radio network. The method may also include identifying alegacy access policy of the legacy cellular radio network identifying alegacy access preference rule for the UE to adopt for connections to thelegacy core network function, the legacy access preference ruleindicating for the UE to preferentially connect to the legacy corenetwork function via the non-cellular radio network, determining thatthe cellular radio network has become available to establish a newconnection, and establishing, based at least on the access preferencerule, the new connection to the cellular radio network.

An apparatus for wireless communication at a UE is described. Theapparatus may include a processor, memory coupled with the processor,and instructions stored in the memory. The instructions may beexecutable by the processor to cause the apparatus to establish acellular connection with a base station associated with a cellular radionetwork and receive an access policy of the cellular radio networkidentifying an access preference rule for the UE to adopt forconnections to a core network function of the cellular radio network,the access preference rule indicating for the UE to preferentiallyconnect to the core network function via the cellular radio network viaa gateway between the cellular radio network and the core networkfunction. The instructions may also be executable by the processor tocause the apparatus to determine that the gateway is not configured,determine that a gateway selection policy of the cellular radio networkis not configured, and determine that the non-cellular radio network isavailable and that the cellular radio network has become unavailable.The instructions may be executable by the processor to cause theapparatus to establish, via the non-cellular radio network, a connectionto a legacy core network function of a legacy cellular radio network viaa legacy gateway between the legacy core network function and thenon-cellular radio network and identify a legacy access policy of thelegacy cellular radio network identifying a legacy access preferencerule for the UE to adopt for connections to the legacy core networkfunction, the legacy access preference rule indicating for the UE topreferentially connect to the legacy core network function via thenon-cellular radio network. The instructions may be executable by theprocessor to cause the apparatus to determine that the cellular radionetwork has become available to establish a new connection andestablish, based at least on the access preference rule, the newconnection to the cellular radio network.

Another apparatus for wireless communication at a UE is described. Theapparatus may include means for establishing a cellular connection witha base station associated with a cellular radio network and means forreceiving an access policy of the cellular radio network identifying anaccess preference rule for the UE to adopt for connections to a corenetwork function of the cellular radio network, the access preferencerule indicating for the UE to preferentially connect to the core networkfunction via the cellular radio network via a gateway between thecellular radio network and the core network function. The apparatus mayalso include means for determining that the gateway is not configured,means for determining that a gateway selection policy of the cellularradio network is not configured, and means for determining that thenon-cellular radio network is available and that the cellular radionetwork has become unavailable. The apparatus may further include meansfor establishing, via the non-cellular radio network, a connection to alegacy core network function of a legacy cellular radio network via alegacy gateway between the legacy core network function and thenon-cellular radio network and means for identifying a legacy accesspolicy of the legacy cellular radio network identifying a legacy accesspreference rule for the UE to adopt for connections to the legacy corenetwork function, the legacy access preference rule indicating for theUE to preferentially connect to the legacy core network function via thenon-cellular radio network. The apparatus may include means fordetermining that the cellular radio network has become available toestablish a new connection and means for establishing, based at least onthe access preference rule, the new connection to the cellular radionetwork.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing code for wirelesscommunication at a UE is described. The code may include instructionsexecutable by a processor to establish a cellular connection with a basestation associated with a cellular radio network and receive an accesspolicy of the cellular radio network identifying an access preferencerule for the UE to adopt for connections to a core network function ofthe cellular radio network, the access preference rule indicating forthe UE to preferentially connect to the core network function via thecellular radio network via a gateway between the cellular radio networkand the core network function. The code may also include instructionsexecutable by the processor to determine that the gateway is notconfigured, determine that a gateway selection policy of the cellularradio network is not configured, and determine that the non-cellularradio network is available and that the cellular radio network hasbecome unavailable. The code may also include instructions executable bythe processor to establish, via the non-cellular radio network, aconnection to a legacy core network function of a legacy cellular radionetwork via a legacy gateway between the legacy core network functionand the non-cellular radio network and identify a legacy access policyof the legacy cellular radio network identifying a legacy accesspreference rule for the UE to adopt for connections to the legacy corenetwork function, the legacy access preference rule indicating for theUE to preferentially connect to the legacy core network function via thenon-cellular radio network. The code may also include instructionsexecutable by the processor to determine that the cellular radio networkhas become available to establish a new connection and establish, basedat least on the access preference rule, the new connection to thecellular radio network.

Some examples of the method, apparatuses, and non-transitorycomputer-readable medium described herein may further includeoperations, features, means, or instructions for determining, based atleast in part on the new connection, that the gateway of the cellularradio network may be configured, and transferring, based at least inpart on the access policy, the connection to the legacy core networkfunction of the legacy cellular radio network via the legacy gateway tothe core network function of the cellular radio network via the gateway.

Some examples of the method, apparatuses, and non-transitorycomputer-readable medium described herein may further includeoperations, features, means, or instructions for receiving aconfiguration for connections via the non-cellular radio network, theconfiguration configuring the UE to connect to the legacy core networkfunction or to connect to the core network function via the non-cellularradio network.

Some examples of the method, apparatuses, and non-transitorycomputer-readable medium described herein may further includeoperations, features, means, or instructions for receiving aconfiguration for connections via the non-cellular radio network, theconfiguration configuring the UE to attempt to connect to the corenetwork function and, if the attempt to connect to the core network maybe unsuccessful, to connect to the legacy core network function via thenon-cellular radio network.

In some examples of the method, apparatuses, and non-transitorycomputer-readable medium described herein, the cellular radio networkincludes a 5G NR SA cellular radio network, the legacy cellular radionetwork includes at least one of a 4G LTE cellular radio network or a 5GNR NSA cellular radio network, the access policy includes a URSP, thegateway selection policy includes an ANDSP, the legacy access policyincludes an ANDSF, the gateway includes a N3IWF between the core networkfunction of the 5G NR SA cellular radio network and the non-cellularradio network, and the legacy gateway includes an EPDG between an EPCcore network function of the 4G LTE cellular radio network or the 5G NRNSA cellular radio network and the non-cellular radio network.

Another method of wireless communication at a UE is described. Themethod may include establishing a cellular connection with a basestation associated with a cellular radio network and receiving an accesspolicy of the cellular radio network identifying an access preferencerule for the UE to adopt for connections to a core network function ofthe cellular radio network, the access preference rule indicating forthe UE to preferentially connect to the core network function via anon-cellular radio network. The method may also include determining thatthe non-cellular radio network is available and that a gateway betweenthe non-cellular radio network and the core network function of thecellular radio network is not configured and determining that a gatewayselection policy of the cellular radio network is not configured. Themethod may also include establishing a connection to a legacy corenetwork function of a legacy cellular radio network via a legacy gatewaybetween the legacy core network function and the non-cellular radionetwork and identifying a legacy access policy of the legacy cellularradio network identifying a legacy access preference rule for the UE toadopt for connections to the legacy core network function, the legacyaccess preference rule indicating for the UE to preferentially connectto the legacy core network function via the legacy cellular radionetwork. The method may also include maintaining, based at least in parton the access preference rule, the connection to the legacy core networkfunction of the legacy radio network via the legacy gateway.

Another apparatus for wireless communication at a UE is described. Theapparatus may include a processor, memory coupled with the processor,and instructions stored in the memory. The instructions may beexecutable by the processor to cause the apparatus to establish acellular connection with a base station associated with a cellular radionetwork and receive an access policy of the cellular radio networkidentifying an access preference rule for the UE to adopt forconnections to a core network function of the cellular radio network,the access preference rule indicating for the UE to preferentiallyconnect to the core network function via a non-cellular radio network.The instructions may also be executable by the processor to cause theapparatus to determine that the non-cellular radio network is availableand that a gateway between the non-cellular radio network and the corenetwork function of the cellular radio network is not configured,determine that a gateway selection policy of the cellular radio networkis not configured, and establish a connection to a legacy core networkfunction of a legacy cellular radio network via a legacy gateway betweenthe legacy core network function and the non-cellular radio network. Theinstructions may be executable by the processor to cause the apparatusto identify a legacy access policy of the legacy cellular radio networkidentifying a legacy access preference rule for the UE to adopt forconnections to the legacy core network function, the legacy accesspreference rule indicating for the UE to preferentially connect to thelegacy core network function via the legacy cellular radio network andmaintain, based at least in part on the access preference rule, theconnection to the legacy core network function of the legacy radionetwork via the legacy gateway.

Another apparatus for wireless communication at a UE is described. Theapparatus may include means for establishing a cellular connection witha base station associated with a cellular radio network and means forreceiving an access policy of the cellular radio network identifying anaccess preference rule for the UE to adopt for connections to a corenetwork function of the cellular radio network, the access preferencerule indicating for the UE to preferentially connect to the core networkfunction via a non-cellular radio network. The apparatus may includemeans for determining that the non-cellular radio network is availableand that a gateway between the non-cellular radio network and the corenetwork function of the cellular radio network is not configured, meansfor determining that a gateway selection policy of the cellular radionetwork is not configured, and means for establishing a connection to alegacy core network function of a legacy cellular radio network via alegacy gateway between the legacy core network function and thenon-cellular radio network. The apparatus may include means foridentifying a legacy access policy of the legacy cellular radio networkidentifying a legacy access preference rule for the UE to adopt forconnections to the legacy core network function, the legacy accesspreference rule indicating for the UE to preferentially connect to thelegacy core network function via the legacy cellular radio network andmeans for maintaining, based at least in part on the access preferencerule, the connection to the legacy core network function of the legacyradio network via the legacy gateway.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing code for wirelesscommunication at a UE is described. The code may include instructionsexecutable by a processor to establish a cellular connection with a basestation associated with a cellular radio network and receive an accesspolicy of the cellular radio network identifying an access preferencerule for the UE to adopt for connections to a core network function ofthe cellular radio network, the access preference rule indicating forthe UE to preferentially connect to the core network function via anon-cellular radio network. The code may include instructions executableby the processor to determine that the non-cellular radio network isavailable and that a gateway between the non-cellular radio network andthe core network function of the cellular radio network is notconfigured, determine that a gateway selection policy of the cellularradio network is not configured, and establish a connection to a legacycore network function of a legacy cellular radio network via a legacygateway between the legacy core network function and the non-cellularradio network. The code may include instructions executable by theprocessor to identify a legacy access policy of the legacy cellularradio network identifying a legacy access preference rule for the UE toadopt for connections to the legacy core network function, the legacyaccess preference rule indicating for the UE to preferentially connectto the legacy core network function via the legacy cellular radionetwork and maintain, based at least in part on the access preferencerule, the connection to the legacy core network function of the legacyradio network via the legacy gateway.

Some examples of the method, apparatuses, and non-transitorycomputer-readable medium described herein may further includeoperations, features, means, or instructions for receiving aconfiguration for connections via the non-cellular radio network, theconfiguration configuring the UE to connect to the legacy core networkfunction or to connect to the core network function via the non-cellularradio network.

Some examples of the method, apparatuses, and non-transitorycomputer-readable medium described herein may further includeoperations, features, means, or instructions for receiving aconfiguration for connections via the non-cellular radio network, theconfiguration configuring the UE to attempt to connect to the corenetwork function and, if the attempt to connect to the core network maybe unsuccessful, to connect to the legacy core network function via thenon-cellular radio network.

In some examples of the method, apparatuses, and non-transitorycomputer-readable medium described herein, the cellular radio networkincludes a 5G NR SA cellular radio network, the access policy includes aURSP, the gateway selection policy includes an ANDSP, the legacy accesspolicy includes an ANDSF, the gateway includes a N3IWF between the corenetwork function of the 5G NR SA cellular radio network and thenon-cellular radio network, and the legacy gateway includes an EPDG toan EPC core network function of the 4G LTE cellular radio network or the5G NR NSA cellular radio network and the non-cellular radio network.

A method of wireless communications at a UE is described. The method mayinclude establishing a connection to a legacy core network function of alegacy cellular radio network via a legacy gateway between the legacycellular radio network and a non-cellular radio network and identifying,for each traffic descriptor in the set of traffic descriptors, a legacyaccess policy of the legacy cellular radio network identifying a legacyaccess preference rule for the UE to adopt for connections to the legacycore network function, each legacy access preference rule indicating forthe UE to preferentially connect to the legacy core network function viathe legacy cellular radio network or a non-cellular radio network forthe traffic descriptor and a legacy slice treatment for the trafficdescriptor. The method may include establishing a connection to a corenetwork function of a cellular radio network via a gateway between thecellular radio network and the non-cellular radio network andidentifying, for each traffic descriptor in the set of trafficdescriptors, an access policy of the cellular radio network identifyingan access preference rule for the UE to adopt for connections to thecore network function of the cellular radio network, each accesspreference rule indicating for the UE to preferentially connect to thecore network function via the cellular radio network or the non-cellularradio network for the traffic descriptor and a slice treatment for thetraffic descriptor. The method may also include determining, for eachtraffic descriptor and based at least in part on the legacy slicetreatment and the slice treatment and based at least in part on theaccess policy, to transfer the connection associated with the trafficdescriptor to the core network function or to establish an updatedconnection for the traffic descriptor with the core network function.

An apparatus for wireless communications at a UE is described. Theapparatus may include a processor, memory coupled with the processor,and instructions stored in the memory. The instructions may beexecutable by the processor to cause the apparatus to establish aconnection to a legacy core network function of a legacy cellular radionetwork via a legacy gateway between the legacy cellular radio networkand a non-cellular radio network and identify, for each trafficdescriptor in the set of traffic descriptors, a legacy access policy ofthe legacy cellular radio network identifying a legacy access preferencerule for the UE to adopt for connections to the legacy core networkfunction, each legacy access preference rule indicating for the UE topreferentially connect to the legacy core network function via thelegacy cellular radio network or a non-cellular radio network for thetraffic descriptor and a legacy slice treatment for the trafficdescriptor. The instructions may be executable by the processor to causethe apparatus to establish a connection to a core network function of acellular radio network via a gateway between the cellular radio networkand the non-cellular radio network and identify, for each trafficdescriptor in the set of traffic descriptors, an access policy of thecellular radio network identifying an access preference rule for the UEto adopt for connections to the core network function of the cellularradio network, each access preference rule indicating for the UE topreferentially connect to the core network function via the cellularradio network or the non-cellular radio network for the trafficdescriptor and a slice treatment for the traffic descriptor. Theinstructions may be executable by the processor to cause the apparatusto determine, for each traffic descriptor and based at least in part onthe legacy slice treatment and the slice treatment and based at least inpart on the access policy, to transfer the connection associated withthe traffic descriptor to the core network function or to establish anupdated connection for the traffic descriptor with the core networkfunction.

Another apparatus for wireless communications at a UE is described. Theapparatus may include means for establishing a connection to a legacycore network function of a legacy cellular radio network via a legacygateway between the legacy cellular radio network and a non-cellularradio network and means for identifying, for each traffic descriptor inthe set of traffic descriptors, a legacy access policy of the legacycellular radio network identifying a legacy access preference rule forthe UE to adopt for connections to the legacy core network function,each legacy access preference rule indicating for the UE topreferentially connect to the legacy core network function via thelegacy cellular radio network or a non-cellular radio network for thetraffic descriptor and a legacy slice treatment for the trafficdescriptor. The apparatus may also include means for establishing aconnection to a core network function of a cellular radio network via agateway between the cellular radio network and the non-cellular radionetwork and means for identifying, for each traffic descriptor in theset of traffic descriptors, an access policy of the cellular radionetwork identifying an access preference rule for the UE to adopt forconnections to the core network function of the cellular radio network,each access preference rule indicating for the UE to preferentiallyconnect to the core network function via the cellular radio network orthe non-cellular radio network for the traffic descriptor and a slicetreatment for the traffic descriptor. The apparatus may also includemeans for determining, for each traffic descriptor and based at least inpart on the legacy slice treatment and the slice treatment and based atleast in part on the access policy, to transfer the connectionassociated with the traffic descriptor to the core network function orto establish an updated connection for the traffic descriptor with thecore network function.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing code for wirelesscommunications at a UE is described. The code may include instructionsexecutable by a processor to establish a connection to a legacy corenetwork function of a legacy cellular radio network via a legacy gatewaybetween the legacy cellular radio network and a non-cellular radionetwork and identify, for each traffic descriptor in the set of trafficdescriptors, a legacy access policy of the legacy cellular radio networkidentifying a legacy access preference rule for the UE to adopt forconnections to the legacy core network function, each legacy accesspreference rule indicating for the UE to preferentially connect to thelegacy core network function via the legacy cellular radio network or anon-cellular radio network for the traffic descriptor and a legacy slicetreatment for the traffic descriptor. The code may include instructionsexecutable by the processor to establish a connection to a core networkfunction of a cellular radio network via a gateway between the cellularradio network and the non-cellular radio network and identify, for eachtraffic descriptor in the set of traffic descriptors, an access policyof the cellular radio network identifying an access preference rule forthe UE to adopt for connections to the core network function of thecellular radio network, each access preference rule indicating for theUE to preferentially connect to the core network function via thecellular radio network or the non-cellular radio network for the trafficdescriptor and a slice treatment for the traffic descriptor. The codemay include instructions executable by the processor to determine, foreach traffic descriptor and based at least in part on the legacy slicetreatment and the slice treatment and based at least in part on theaccess policy, to transfer the connection associated with the trafficdescriptor to the core network function or to establish an updatedconnection for the traffic descriptor with the core network function.

Some examples of the method, apparatuses, and non-transitorycomputer-readable medium described herein may further includeoperations, features, means, or instructions for determining, for atleast two traffic descriptors in the set of traffic descriptors, thatthe legacy traffic descriptor and the traffic descriptor may be a sametraffic descriptor, and transferring the connections for the at leasttwo traffic descriptors to the core network function.

Some examples of the method, apparatuses, and non-transitorycomputer-readable medium described herein may further includeoperations, features, means, or instructions for determining, for atleast two traffic descriptors in the set of traffic descriptors, thatthe legacy traffic descriptor and the traffic descriptor may bedifferent traffic descriptors, and updating the connection for at leastone of the two traffic descriptors with the core network function.

Some examples of the method, apparatuses, and non-transitorycomputer-readable medium described herein may further includeoperations, features, means, or instructions for determining, for atleast two traffic descriptors in the set of traffic descriptors that maybe associated with a same traffic descriptor, that the legacy accesspolicy and the access policy may be a same access policy, andtransferring the connections for the at least two traffic descriptors tothe core network function.

Some examples of the method, apparatuses, and non-transitorycomputer-readable medium described herein may further includeoperations, features, means, or instructions for determining, for atleast two traffic descriptors in the set of traffic descriptors that maybe associated with a same traffic descriptor, that the legacy accesspolicy and the access policy may be a different access policy, andupdating the connection for at least one of the two traffic descriptorswith the core network function.

In some examples of the method, apparatuses, and non-transitorycomputer-readable medium described herein, the cellular radio networkincludes a 5G NR SA cellular radio network, the legacy cellular radionetwork includes at least one of a 4G LTE cellular radio network or a 5GNR NSA cellular radio network, the access policy includes a URSP, thelegacy access policy includes an ANDSF, the core network functionincludes a 5G NR SA core network (5GC), the gateway includes a N3IWFbetween the core network function of the 5G NR SA cellular radio networkand the non-cellular radio network, and the legacy gateway includes anEPDG between an EPC core network function of the 4G LTE cellular radionetwork or the 5G NR NSA cellular radio network and the non-cellularradio network.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a system for wireless communicationsthat supports methods to handle slicing accounting for evolved packetdata gateway Wi-Fi access in accordance with aspects of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a wireless communications system thatsupports methods to handle slicing accounting for evolved packet datagateway Wi-Fi access in accordance with aspects of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a process that supports methods tohandle slicing accounting for evolved packet data gateway Wi-Fi accessin accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a process that supports methods tohandle slicing accounting for evolved packet data gateway Wi-Fi accessin accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a process that supports methods tohandle slicing accounting for evolved packet data gateway Wi-Fi accessin accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example of a process that supports methods tohandle slicing accounting for evolved packet data gateway Wi-Fi accessin accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a process that supports methods tohandle slicing accounting for evolved packet data gateway Wi-Fi accessin accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example of a process that supports methods tohandle slicing accounting for evolved packet data gateway Wi-Fi accessin accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show block diagrams of devices that support methods tohandle slicing accounting for evolved packet data gateway Wi-Fi accessin accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 11 shows a block diagram of a communications manager that supportsmethods to handle slicing accounting for evolved packet data gatewayWi-Fi access in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 12 shows a diagram of a system including a device that supportsmethods to handle slicing accounting for evolved packet data gatewayWi-Fi access in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 13 through 18 show flowcharts illustrating methods to handleslicing accounting for evolved packet data gateway Wi-Fi access inaccordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Aspects of the described techniques provide mechanisms that can beimplemented by a user equipment (UE) operating in a heterogenousenvironment that includes at least one of a non-cellular radio network(e.g., wireless local area network (WLAN), a Wi-Fi network, and thelike), a legacy cellular radio network (e.g., such as a 4th generation(4G) cellular radio network, a fifth generation (5G) new radio (NR)non-stand alone (NSA) cellular radio network, etc.), and/or a 5G NRstand-alone (SA) cellular radio network. Wireless networks continue toevolve such that the UE may, more and more frequently, be located insuch a heterogenous network. However, as each generation of wirelessnetwork has its own set of rules, policies, protocols, functions,entities, etc., this may create disparities between different wirelessnetworks. This may result in the UE being presented with a situationwhere it is provided with conflicting and/or absent protocols, entities,etc., with respect to each network. This may disrupt communicationsbetween the UE and the associated wireless networks.

Aspects of the disclosure are initially described in the context ofwireless communications systems. Generally, the described techniquesprovide various mechanisms that address inconsistencies between legacycellular radio networks and advanced cellular radio networks beingdeployed.

For example, a UE may establish a connection with a base stationassociated with a cellular radio network (e.g., a 5G NR SA connection).Whenever a UE establishes a connection with a base station, the basestation may generally configure, indicate, or otherwise convey to the UEvarious policies, protocols, and the like, for the cellular radionetwork. Accordingly, the UE may receive an access policy (e.g., a UEroute selection policy (URSP)) identifying an access preference rule forthe UE to use for connections to a core network function of the cellularradio network (e.g., for connections to a 5G core network (5GC)). Thatis, the URSP may generally indicate whether the UE is to preferentiallyroute outgoing traffic, e.g., the traffic can be routed to anestablished protocol data unit (PDU) session (such as to the 5GC via the5G NR SA base station), can be offloaded to a non-third generationpartnership project (3GPP) cellular connection, such as via a Wi-Finetwork, or to establish a new PDU session (e.g., a new PDU session to5GC via the 5G NR SA base station). In this example, the URSP mayindicate for the UE to preferentially connect to the 5GC via anon-cellular radio network, e.g., to route the outgoing traffic in thePDU session via a Wi-Fi network. However, the UE may determine that agateway between the Wi-Fi radio network and the 5GC is not configured oris otherwise unavailable, e.g., a 3GPP interworking function (N3IWF)gateway. The UE may also determine that a gateway selection policy isnot configured for the 5G NR SA, e.g., an access network discoveryselection policy (ANDSP). Broadly, the ANDSP is used by the UE forselecting a non-3GPP access network, such as a wireless local areanetwork (WLAN), Wi-Fi network, etc. Accordingly, the UE may establish aconnection to a legacy core network function (e.g., an evolved packetcore (EPC) core network function) of a legacy cellular radio network(e.g., 4G and/or 5G NR NSA cellular radio network) via a legacy gateway(e.g., an evolved packet data gateway (EPDG)). Broadly, the EPDG may bea gateway function between the Wi-Fi network and the EPC. Thus, despitethe URSP giving preference to the Wi-Fi network and the fact that ANDSPand N3IWF are not configured or otherwise available, the UE may stillutilize the EPDG to connect to the EPC core network following the URSPaccess policy when no ANDSP/N3IWF are configured yet for the 5G NR SAcellular radio network.

Additionally, or alternatively, the UE may have established the cellularconnection with the base station in the 5G NR SA cellular radio network.However, in this example the URSP received by the UE may give preferenceto the 3GPP connection, e.g., for the UE to route the outgoing trafficto the 5G NR SA cellular radio network. That is, the URSP may givepreference for the UE to connect to 5GC via the 5G NR SA base station.However, the UE may determine that neither the N3IWF gateway nor theANDSP gateway selection policy are configured for the cellular radionetwork (e.g., for the 5G NR SA radio network). Subsequently, the UE maydetermine that its 5G NR SA cellular radio network has becomeunavailable, but that a Wi-Fi radio network is available. In response,the UE may establish a connection to a legacy core network function(e.g., EPC) of a legacy cellular radio network (e.g., 4G/5G NR NSA) viaa legacy gateway (e.g., EPDG). The UE may identify or otherwisedetermine a legacy access policy (e.g., an access network discovery andselection function (ANDSF)) that gives preference for the UE to use anon-cellular radio network (e.g., a Wi-Fi network). That is, broadly theANDSF helps the UE discover non-3GPP access networks, such as WLAN,Wi-Fi networks, etc. However, the UE may determine that the 5G NR SAcellular radio network has become available again, and thereforeestablish a new connection to the cellular radio network. That is, eventhough the ANDSF instructs the UE to give preference to a Wi-Fi network,the UE may follow the preference given in the URSP and reestablish itsconnection to the 5G NR NSA cellular radio network when the 5G NR SAnetwork becomes available again. Otherwise the UE may be stuck with theWi-Fi connection even though a more advanced 5G NR SA network isavailable.

Additionally, or alternatively, the UE may establish the cellularconnection to the 5G NR SA cellular radio network and receive the URSPthat, in this example, gives preference to the non-cellular radionetwork (e.g., gives preference to a non-3GPP network such as a Wi-Finetwork). Again, the UE may determine that neither the ANDSP nor theN3IWF are configured for the 5G NR SA cellular radio network, but that aWi-Fi network is available. Accordingly, the UE may establish aconnection to the EPC legacy core network function of the 4G/5G NR NSAlegacy cellular radio network via an EPDG gateway. The UE may receive orotherwise identify the ANDSF legacy access policy which, in thisexample, gives preference to a 3GPP connection. Previously the UE wouldping-pong between the 5G NR SA connection and Wi-Fi connection. However,to avoid such ping-pong, the UE may maintain the connection to the EPClegacy core network function via the EPDG legacy gateway. This approachmay avoid the UE frequently switching between the 5G NR SA network inwhich the URSP gives preference to a non-3GPP connection and the Wi-Finetwork in which the ANDSF gives preference to a 3GPP connection.

Additionally, or alternatively, the UE may establish a connection to anEPC legacy core network function of a 4G/5G NR NSA legacy cellular radionetwork via the EPDG legacy gateway. The UE may be configured with a setof traffic descriptors (e.g., the UE may have different applicationsoperating on the UE). For each traffic descriptors (e.g., eachapplication), the UE may identify the ANDSF legacy access policy thatgives preference to the UE to connect via either a cellular radionetwork (e.g., 3GPP cellular radio network) or a non-cellular radionetwork (e.g., a non-3GPP radio network). The UE may also identify orotherwise determine a legacy slice treatment associated with eachtraffic descriptor, e.g., based at least in part on the connection tothe EPC via the EPDG. The UE may establish a connection to a 5GC corenetwork function of a 5G NR SA cellular radio network via an N3IWFgateway. Accordingly, the UE may receive or otherwise identify a URSPaccess policy for the UE to adopt that also tells the UE whether topreferentially connect via either the cellular radio network or anon-cellular radio network. The UE may also determine or otherwiseidentify a slice treatment for each traffic descriptor, e.g., based atleast in part on the URSP access policy, traffic descriptor identifier,traffic descriptor type, etc. Accordingly, the UE may use the URSPaccess policy, the legacy slice treatment (from EPC), and/or the slicetreatment (from 5GC), to determine whether to transfer the connectionfor each traffic descriptor from the EPC via the EPDG gateway to the 5GCvia the N3IWF or to establish an updated connection with the 5GC via theN3IWF. Accordingly, the UE can ensure that each traffic descriptor isgiven the proper slice treatment and/or connection preference whenswitching from an EPC connection to a 5GC connection.

Aspects of the disclosure are further illustrated by and described withreference to apparatus diagrams, system diagrams, and flowcharts thatrelate to methods to handle slicing accounting for evolved packet datagateway Wi-Fi access.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a wireless communications system 100that supports methods to handle slicing accounting for evolved packetdata gateway Wi-Fi access in accordance with aspects of the presentdisclosure. The wireless communications system 100 may include one ormore base stations 105, one or more UEs 115, and a core network 130. Insome examples, the wireless communications system 100 may be a Long TermEvolution (LTE) network, an LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) network, an LTE-A Pronetwork, or a New Radio (NR) network. In some examples, the wirelesscommunications system 100 may support enhanced broadband communications,ultra-reliable (e.g., mission critical) communications, low latencycommunications, communications with low-cost and low-complexity devices,or any combination thereof.

The base stations 105 may be dispersed throughout a geographic area toform the wireless communications system 100 and may be devices indifferent forms or having different capabilities. The base stations 105and the UEs 115 may wirelessly communicate via one or more communicationlinks 125. Each base station 105 may provide a coverage area 110 overwhich the UEs 115 and the base station 105 may establish one or morecommunication links 125. The coverage area 110 may be an example of ageographic area over which a base station 105 and a UE 115 may supportthe communication of signals according to one or more radio accesstechnologies.

The UEs 115 may be dispersed throughout a coverage area 110 of thewireless communications system 100, and each UE 115 may be stationary,or mobile, or both at different times. The UEs 115 may be devices indifferent forms or having different capabilities. Some example UEs 115are illustrated in FIG. 1 . The UEs 115 described herein may be able tocommunicate with various types of devices, such as other UEs 115, thebase stations 105, or network equipment (e.g., core network nodes, relaydevices, integrated access and backhaul (IAB) nodes, or other networkequipment), as shown in FIG. 1 .

The base stations 105 may communicate with the core network 130, or withone another, or both. For example, the base stations 105 may interfacewith the core network 130 through one or more backhaul links 120 (e.g.,via an S1, N2, N3, or other interface). The base stations 105 maycommunicate with one another over the backhaul links 120 (e.g., via anX2, Xn, or other interface) either directly (e.g., directly between basestations 105), or indirectly (e.g., via core network 130), or both. Insome examples, the backhaul links 120 may be or include one or morewireless links.

One or more of the base stations 105 described herein may include or maybe referred to by a person having ordinary skill in the art as a basetransceiver station, a radio base station, an access point, a radiotransceiver, a NodeB, an eNodeB (eNB), a next-generation NodeB or agiga-NodeB (either of which may be referred to as a gNB), a Home NodeB,a Home eNodeB, or other suitable terminology.

A UE 115 may include or may be referred to as a mobile device, awireless device, a remote device, a handheld device, or a subscriberdevice, or some other suitable terminology, where the “device” may alsobe referred to as a unit, a station, a terminal, or a client, amongother examples. A UE 115 may also include or may be referred to as apersonal electronic device such as a cellular phone, a personal digitalassistant (PDA), a tablet computer, a laptop computer, or a personalcomputer. In some examples, a UE 115 may include or be referred to as awireless local loop (WLL) station, an Internet of Things (IoT) device,an Internet of Everything (IoE) device, or a machine type communications(MTC) device, among other examples, which may be implemented in variousobjects such as appliances, or vehicles, meters, among other examples.

The UEs 115 described herein may be able to communicate with varioustypes of devices, such as other UEs 115 that may sometimes act as relaysas well as the base stations 105 and the network equipment includingmacro eNBs or gNBs, small cell eNBs or gNBs, or relay base stations,among other examples, as shown in FIG. 1 .

The UEs 115 and the base stations 105 may wirelessly communicate withone another via one or more communication links 125 over one or morecarriers. The term “carrier” may refer to a set of radio frequencyspectrum resources having a defined physical layer structure forsupporting the communication links 125. For example, a carrier used fora communication link 125 may include a portion of a radio frequencyspectrum band (e.g., a bandwidth part (BWP)) that is operated accordingto one or more physical layer channels for a given radio accesstechnology (e.g., LTE, LTE-A, LTE-A Pro, NR). Each physical layerchannel may carry acquisition signaling (e.g., synchronization signals,system information), control signaling that coordinates operation forthe carrier, user data, or other signaling. The wireless communicationssystem 100 may support communication with a UE 115 using carrieraggregation or multi-carrier operation. A UE 115 may be configured withmultiple downlink component carriers and one or more uplink componentcarriers according to a carrier aggregation configuration. Carrieraggregation may be used with both frequency division duplexing (FDD) andtime division duplexing (TDD) component carriers.

In some examples (e.g., in a carrier aggregation configuration), acarrier may also have acquisition signaling or control signaling thatcoordinates operations for other carriers. A carrier may be associatedwith a frequency channel (e.g., an evolved universal mobiletelecommunication system terrestrial radio access (E-UTRA) absoluteradio frequency channel number (EARFCN)) and may be positioned accordingto a channel raster for discovery by the UEs 115. A carrier may beoperated in a standalone mode where initial acquisition and connectionmay be conducted by the UEs 115 via the carrier, or the carrier may beoperated in a non-standalone mode where a connection is anchored using adifferent carrier (e.g., of the same or a different radio accesstechnology).

The communication links 125 shown in the wireless communications system100 may include uplink transmissions from a UE 115 to a base station105, or downlink transmissions from a base station 105 to a UE 115.Carriers may carry downlink or uplink communications (e.g., in an FDDmode) or may be configured to carry downlink and uplink communications(e.g., in a TDD mode).

A carrier may be associated with a particular bandwidth of the radiofrequency spectrum, and in some examples the carrier bandwidth may bereferred to as a “system bandwidth” of the carrier or the wirelesscommunications system 100. For example, the carrier bandwidth may be oneof a number of determined bandwidths for carriers of a particular radioaccess technology (e.g., 1.4, 3, 5, 10, 15, 20, 40, or 80 megahertz(MHz)). Devices of the wireless communications system 100 (e.g., thebase stations 105, the UEs 115, or both) may have hardwareconfigurations that support communications over a particular carrierbandwidth or may be configurable to support communications over one of aset of carrier bandwidths. In some examples, the wireless communicationssystem 100 may include base stations 105 or UEs 115 that supportsimultaneous communications via carriers associated with multiplecarrier bandwidths. In some examples, each served UE 115 may beconfigured for operating over portions (e.g., a sub-band, a BWP) or allof a carrier bandwidth.

Signal waveforms transmitted over a carrier may be made up of multiplesubcarriers (e.g., using multi-carrier modulation (MCM) techniques suchas orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) or discrete Fouriertransform spread OFDM (DFT-S-OFDM)). In a system employing MCMtechniques, a resource element may consist of one symbol period (e.g., aduration of one modulation symbol) and one subcarrier, where the symbolperiod and subcarrier spacing are inversely related. The number of bitscarried by each resource element may depend on the modulation scheme(e.g., the order of the modulation scheme, the coding rate of themodulation scheme, or both). Thus, the more resource elements that a UE115 receives and the higher the order of the modulation scheme, thehigher the data rate may be for the UE 115. A wireless communicationsresource may refer to a combination of a radio frequency spectrumresource, a time resource, and a spatial resource (e.g., spatial layersor beams), and the use of multiple spatial layers may further increasethe data rate or data integrity for communications with a UE 115.

One or more numerologies for a carrier may be supported, where anumerology may include a subcarrier spacing (Δf) and a cyclic prefix. Acarrier may be divided into one or more BWPs having the same ordifferent numerologies. In some examples, a UE 115 may be configuredwith multiple BWPs. In some examples, a single BWP for a carrier may beactive at a given time and communications for the UE 115 may berestricted to one or more active BWPs.

The time intervals for the base stations 105 or the UEs 115 may beexpressed in multiples of a basic time unit which may, for example,refer to a sampling period of T_(s)=1/(Δf_(max)·N_(f)) seconds, whereΔf_(max) may represent the maximum supported subcarrier spacing, andN_(f) may represent the maximum supported discrete Fourier transform(DFT) size. Time intervals of a communications resource may be organizedaccording to radio frames each having a specified duration (e.g., 10milliseconds (ms)). Each radio frame may be identified by a system framenumber (SFN) (e.g., ranging from 0 to 1023).

Each frame may include multiple consecutively numbered subframes orslots, and each subframe or slot may have the same duration. In someexamples, a frame may be divided (e.g., in the time domain) intosubframes, and each subframe may be further divided into a number ofslots. Alternatively, each frame may include a variable number of slots,and the number of slots may depend on subcarrier spacing. Each slot mayinclude a number of symbol periods (e.g., depending on the length of thecyclic prefix prepended to each symbol period). In some wirelesscommunications systems 100, a slot may further be divided into multiplemini-slots containing one or more symbols. Excluding the cyclic prefix,each symbol period may contain one or more (e.g., N_(f)) samplingperiods. The duration of a symbol period may depend on the subcarrierspacing or frequency band of operation.

A subframe, a slot, a mini-slot, or a symbol may be the smallestscheduling unit (e.g., in the time domain) of the wirelesscommunications system 100 and may be referred to as a transmission timeinterval (TTI). In some examples, the TTI duration (e.g., the number ofsymbol periods in a TTI) may be variable. Additionally or alternatively,the smallest scheduling unit of the wireless communications system 100may be dynamically selected (e.g., in bursts of shortened TTIs (sTTIs)).

Physical channels may be multiplexed on a carrier according to varioustechniques. A physical control channel and a physical data channel maybe multiplexed on a downlink carrier, for example, using one or more oftime division multiplexing (TDM) techniques, frequency divisionmultiplexing (FDM) techniques, or hybrid TDM-FDM techniques. A controlregion (e.g., a control resource set (CORESET)) for a physical controlchannel may be defined by a number of symbol periods and may extendacross the system bandwidth or a subset of the system bandwidth of thecarrier. One or more control regions (e.g., CORESETs) may be configuredfor a set of the UEs 115. For example, one or more of the UEs 115 maymonitor or search control regions for control information according toone or more search space sets, and each search space set may include oneor multiple control channel candidates in one or more aggregation levelsarranged in a cascaded manner. An aggregation level for a controlchannel candidate may refer to a number of control channel resources(e.g., control channel elements (CCEs)) associated with encodedinformation for a control information format having a given payloadsize. Search space sets may include common search space sets configuredfor sending control information to multiple UEs 115 and UE-specificsearch space sets for sending control information to a specific UE 115.

Each base station 105 may provide communication coverage via one or morecells, for example a macro cell, a small cell, a hot spot, or othertypes of cells, or any combination thereof. The term “cell” may refer toa logical communication entity used for communication with a basestation 105 (e.g., over a carrier) and may be associated with anidentifier for distinguishing neighboring cells (e.g., a physical cellidentifier (PCID), a virtual cell identifier (VCID), or others). In someexamples, a cell may also refer to a geographic coverage area 110 or aportion of a geographic coverage area 110 (e.g., a sector) over whichthe logical communication entity operates. Such cells may range fromsmaller areas (e.g., a structure, a subset of structure) to larger areasdepending on various factors such as the capabilities of the basestation 105. For example, a cell may be or include a building, a subsetof a building, or exterior spaces between or overlapping with geographiccoverage areas 110, among other examples.

A macro cell generally covers a relatively large geographic area (e.g.,several kilometers in radius) and may allow unrestricted access by theUEs 115 with service subscriptions with the network provider supportingthe macro cell. A small cell may be associated with a lower-powered basestation 105, as compared with a macro cell, and a small cell may operatein the same or different (e.g., licensed, unlicensed) frequency bands asmacro cells. Small cells may provide unrestricted access to the UEs 115with service subscriptions with the network provider or may providerestricted access to the UEs 115 having an association with the smallcell (e.g., the UEs 115 in a closed subscriber group (CSG), the UEs 115associated with users in a home or office). A base station 105 maysupport one or multiple cells and may also support communications overthe one or more cells using one or multiple component carriers.

In some examples, a carrier may support multiple cells, and differentcells may be configured according to different protocol types (e.g.,MTC, narrowband IoT (NB-IoT), enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB)) that mayprovide access for different types of devices.

In some examples, a base station 105 may be movable and thereforeprovide communication coverage for a moving geographic coverage area110. In some examples, different geographic coverage areas 110associated with different technologies may overlap, but the differentgeographic coverage areas 110 may be supported by the same base station105. In other examples, the overlapping geographic coverage areas 110associated with different technologies may be supported by differentbase stations 105. The wireless communications system 100 may include,for example, a heterogeneous network in which different types of thebase stations 105 provide coverage for various geographic coverage areas110 using the same or different radio access technologies.

The wireless communications system 100 may support synchronous orasynchronous operation. For synchronous operation, the base stations 105may have similar frame timings, and transmissions from different basestations 105 may be approximately aligned in time. For asynchronousoperation, the base stations 105 may have different frame timings, andtransmissions from different base stations 105 may, in some examples,not be aligned in time. The techniques described herein may be used foreither synchronous or asynchronous operations.

Some UEs 115, such as MTC or IoT devices, may be low cost or lowcomplexity devices and may provide for automated communication betweenmachines (e.g., via Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communication). M2Mcommunication or MTC may refer to data communication technologies thatallow devices to communicate with one another or a base station 105without human intervention. In some examples, M2M communication or MTCmay include communications from devices that integrate sensors or metersto measure or capture information and relay such information to acentral server or application program that makes use of the informationor presents the information to humans interacting with the applicationprogram. Some UEs 115 may be designed to collect information or enableautomated behavior of machines or other devices. Examples ofapplications for MTC devices include smart metering, inventorymonitoring, water level monitoring, equipment monitoring, healthcaremonitoring, wildlife monitoring, weather and geological eventmonitoring, fleet management and tracking, remote security sensing,physical access control, and transaction-based business charging.

Some UEs 115 may be configured to employ operating modes that reducepower consumption, such as half-duplex communications (e.g., a mode thatsupports one-way communication via transmission or reception, but nottransmission and reception simultaneously). In some examples,half-duplex communications may be performed at a reduced peak rate.Other power conservation techniques for the UEs 115 include entering apower saving deep sleep mode when not engaging in active communications,operating over a limited bandwidth (e.g., according to narrowbandcommunications), or a combination of these techniques. For example, someUEs 115 may be configured for operation using a narrowband protocol typethat is associated with a defined portion or range (e.g., set ofsubcarriers or resource blocks (RBs)) within a carrier, within aguard-band of a carrier, or outside of a carrier.

The wireless communications system 100 may be configured to supportultra-reliable communications or low-latency communications, or variouscombinations thereof. For example, the wireless communications system100 may be configured to support ultra-reliable low-latencycommunications (URLLC) or mission critical communications. The UEs 115may be designed to support ultra-reliable, low-latency, or criticalfunctions (e.g., mission critical functions). Ultra-reliablecommunications may include private communication or group communicationand may be supported by one or more mission critical services such asmission critical push-to-talk (MCPTT), mission critical video (MCVideo),or mission critical data (MCData). Support for mission criticalfunctions may include prioritization of services, and mission criticalservices may be used for public safety or general commercialapplications. The terms ultra-reliable, low-latency, mission critical,and ultra-reliable low-latency may be used interchangeably herein.

In some examples, a UE 115 may also be able to communicate directly withother UEs 115 over a device-to-device (D2D) communication link 135(e.g., using a peer-to-peer (P2P) or D2D protocol). One or more UEs 115utilizing D2D communications may be within the geographic coverage area110 of a base station 105. Other UEs 115 in such a group may be outsidethe geographic coverage area 110 of a base station 105 or be otherwiseunable to receive transmissions from a base station 105. In someexamples, groups of the UEs 115 communicating via D2D communications mayutilize a one-to-many (1:M) system in which each UE 115 transmits toevery other UE 115 in the group. In some examples, a base station 105facilitates the scheduling of resources for D2D communications. In othercases, D2D communications are carried out between the UEs 115 withoutthe involvement of a base station 105.

In some systems, the D2D communication link 135 may be an example of acommunication channel, such as a sidelink communication channel, betweenvehicles (e.g., UEs 115). In some examples, vehicles may communicateusing vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communications, vehicle-to-vehicle(V2V) communications, or some combination of these. A vehicle may signalinformation related to traffic conditions, signal scheduling, weather,safety, emergencies, or any other information relevant to a V2X system.In some examples, vehicles in a V2X system may communicate with roadsideinfrastructure, such as roadside units, or with the network via one ormore network nodes (e.g., base stations 105) using vehicle-to-network(V2N) communications, or with both.

The core network 130 may provide user authentication, accessauthorization, tracking, Internet Protocol (IP) connectivity, and otheraccess, routing, or mobility functions. The core network 130 may be anevolved packet core (EPC) or 5G core (5GC), which may include at leastone control plane entity that manages access and mobility (e.g., amobility management entity (MME), an access and mobility managementfunction (AMF)) and at least one user plane entity that routes packetsor interconnects to external networks (e.g., a serving gateway (S-GW), aPacket Data Network (PDN) gateway (P-GW), or a user plane function(UPF)). The control plane entity may manage non-access stratum (NAS)functions such as mobility, authentication, and bearer management forthe UEs 115 served by the base stations 105 associated with the corenetwork 130. User IP packets may be transferred through the user planeentity, which may provide IP address allocation as well as otherfunctions. The user plane entity may be connected to the networkoperators IP services 150. The operators IP services 150 may includeaccess to the Internet, Intranet(s), an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS),or a Packet-Switched Streaming Service.

Some of the network devices, such as a base station 105, may includesubcomponents such as an access network entity 140, which may be anexample of an access node controller (ANC). Each access network entity140 may communicate with the UEs 115 through one or more other accessnetwork transmission entities 145, which may be referred to as radioheads, smart radio heads, or transmission/reception points (TRPs). Eachaccess network transmission entity 145 may include one or more antennapanels. In some configurations, various functions of each access networkentity 140 or base station 105 may be distributed across various networkdevices (e.g., radio heads and ANCs) or consolidated into a singlenetwork device (e.g., a base station 105).

The wireless communications system 100 may operate using one or morefrequency bands, typically in the range of 300 megahertz (MHz) to 300gigahertz (GHz). Generally, the region from 300 MHz to 3 GHz is known asthe ultra-high frequency (UHF) region or decimeter band because thewavelengths range from approximately one decimeter to one meter inlength. The UHF waves may be blocked or redirected by buildings andenvironmental features, but the waves may penetrate structuressufficiently for a macro cell to provide service to the UEs 115 locatedindoors. The transmission of UHF waves may be associated with smallerantennas and shorter ranges (e.g., less than 100 kilometers) compared totransmission using the smaller frequencies and longer waves of the highfrequency (HF) or very high frequency (VHF) portion of the spectrumbelow 300 MHz.

The wireless communications system 100 may also operate in a super highfrequency (SHF) region using frequency bands from 3 GHz to 30 GHz, alsoknown as the centimeter band, or in an extremely high frequency (EHF)region of the spectrum (e.g., from 30 GHz to 300 GHz), also known as themillimeter band. In some examples, the wireless communications system100 may support millimeter wave (mmW) communications between the UEs 115and the base stations 105, and EHF antennas of the respective devicesmay be smaller and more closely spaced than UHF antennas. In someexamples, this may facilitate use of antenna arrays within a device. Thepropagation of EHF transmissions, however, may be subject to evengreater atmospheric attenuation and shorter range than SHF or UHFtransmissions. The techniques disclosed herein may be employed acrosstransmissions that use one or more different frequency regions, anddesignated use of bands across these frequency regions may differ bycountry or regulating body.

The wireless communications system 100 may utilize both licensed andunlicensed radio frequency spectrum bands. For example, the wirelesscommunications system 100 may employ License Assisted Access (LAA),LTE-Unlicensed (LTE-U) radio access technology, or NR technology in anunlicensed band such as the 5 GHz industrial, scientific, and medical(ISM) band. When operating in unlicensed radio frequency spectrum bands,devices such as the base stations 105 and the UEs 115 may employ carriersensing for collision detection and avoidance. In some examples,operations in unlicensed bands may be based on a carrier aggregationconfiguration in conjunction with component carriers operating in alicensed band (e.g., LAA). Operations in unlicensed spectrum may includedownlink transmissions, uplink transmissions, P2P transmissions, or D2Dtransmissions, among other examples.

A base station 105 or a UE 115 may be equipped with multiple antennas,which may be used to employ techniques such as transmit diversity,receive diversity, multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communications,or beamforming. The antennas of a base station 105 or a UE 115 may belocated within one or more antenna arrays or antenna panels, which maysupport MIMO operations or transmit or receive beamforming. For example,one or more base station antennas or antenna arrays may be co-located atan antenna assembly, such as an antenna tower. In some examples,antennas or antenna arrays associated with a base station 105 may belocated in diverse geographic locations. A base station 105 may have anantenna array with a number of rows and columns of antenna ports thatthe base station 105 may use to support beamforming of communicationswith a UE 115. Likewise, a UE 115 may have one or more antenna arraysthat may support various MIMO or beamforming operations. Additionally oralternatively, an antenna panel may support radio frequency beamformingfor a signal transmitted via an antenna port.

The base stations 105 or the UEs 115 may use MIMO communications toexploit multipath signal propagation and increase the spectralefficiency by transmitting or receiving multiple signals via differentspatial layers. Such techniques may be referred to as spatialmultiplexing. The multiple signals may, for example, be transmitted bythe transmitting device via different antennas or different combinationsof antennas. Likewise, the multiple signals may be received by thereceiving device via different antennas or different combinations ofantennas. Each of the multiple signals may be referred to as a separatespatial stream and may carry bits associated with the same data stream(e.g., the same codeword) or different data streams (e.g., differentcodewords). Different spatial layers may be associated with differentantenna ports used for channel measurement and reporting. MIMOtechniques include single-user MIMO (SU-MIMO), where multiple spatiallayers are transmitted to the same receiving device, and multiple-userMIMO (MU-MIMO), where multiple spatial layers are transmitted tomultiple devices.

Beamforming, which may also be referred to as spatial filtering,directional transmission, or directional reception, is a signalprocessing technique that may be used at a transmitting device or areceiving device (e.g., a base station 105, a UE 115) to shape or steeran antenna beam (e.g., a transmit beam, a receive beam) along a spatialpath between the transmitting device and the receiving device.Beamforming may be achieved by combining the signals communicated viaantenna elements of an antenna array such that some signals propagatingat particular orientations with respect to an antenna array experienceconstructive interference while others experience destructiveinterference. The adjustment of signals communicated via the antennaelements may include a transmitting device or a receiving deviceapplying amplitude offsets, phase offsets, or both to signals carriedvia the antenna elements associated with the device. The adjustmentsassociated with each of the antenna elements may be defined by abeamforming weight set associated with a particular orientation (e.g.,with respect to the antenna array of the transmitting device orreceiving device, or with respect to some other orientation).

A base station 105 or a UE 115 may use beam sweeping techniques as partof beam forming operations. For example, a base station 105 may usemultiple antennas or antenna arrays (e.g., antenna panels) to conductbeamforming operations for directional communications with a UE 115.Some signals (e.g., synchronization signals, reference signals, beamselection signals, or other control signals) may be transmitted by abase station 105 multiple times in different directions. For example,the base station 105 may transmit a signal according to differentbeamforming weight sets associated with different directions oftransmission. Transmissions in different beam directions may be used toidentify (e.g., by a transmitting device, such as a base station 105, orby a receiving device, such as a UE 115) a beam direction for latertransmission or reception by the base station 105.

Some signals, such as data signals associated with a particularreceiving device, may be transmitted by a base station 105 in a singlebeam direction (e.g., a direction associated with the receiving device,such as a UE 115). In some examples, the beam direction associated withtransmissions along a single beam direction may be determined based on asignal that was transmitted in one or more beam directions. For example,a UE 115 may receive one or more of the signals transmitted by the basestation 105 in different directions and may report to the base station105 an indication of the signal that the UE 115 received with a highestsignal quality or an otherwise acceptable signal quality.

In some examples, transmissions by a device (e.g., by a base station 105or a UE 115) may be performed using multiple beam directions, and thedevice may use a combination of digital precoding or radio frequencybeamforming to generate a combined beam for transmission (e.g., from abase station 105 to a UE 115). The UE 115 may report feedback thatindicates precoding weights for one or more beam directions, and thefeedback may correspond to a configured number of beams across a systembandwidth or one or more sub-bands. The base station 105 may transmit areference signal (e.g., a cell-specific reference signal (CRS), achannel state information reference signal (CSI-RS)), which may beprecoded or unprecoded. The UE 115 may provide feedback for beamselection, which may be a precoding matrix indicator (PMI) orcodebook-based feedback (e.g., a multi-panel type codebook, a linearcombination type codebook, a port selection type codebook). Althoughthese techniques are described with reference to signals transmitted inone or more directions by a base station 105, a UE 115 may employsimilar techniques for transmitting signals multiple times in differentdirections (e.g., for identifying a beam direction for subsequenttransmission or reception by the UE 115) or for transmitting a signal ina single direction (e.g., for transmitting data to a receiving device).

A receiving device (e.g., a UE 115) may try multiple receiveconfigurations (e.g., directional listening) when receiving varioussignals from the base station 105, such as synchronization signals,reference signals, beam selection signals, or other control signals. Forexample, a receiving device may try multiple receive directions byreceiving via different antenna subarrays, by processing receivedsignals according to different antenna subarrays, by receiving accordingto different receive beamforming weight sets (e.g., differentdirectional listening weight sets) applied to signals received atmultiple antenna elements of an antenna array, or by processing receivedsignals according to different receive beamforming weight sets appliedto signals received at multiple antenna elements of an antenna array,any of which may be referred to as “listening” according to differentreceive configurations or receive directions. In some examples, areceiving device may use a single receive configuration to receive alonga single beam direction (e.g., when receiving a data signal). The singlereceive configuration may be aligned in a beam direction determinedbased on listening according to different receive configurationdirections (e.g., a beam direction determined to have a highest signalstrength, highest signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), or otherwise acceptablesignal quality based on listening according to multiple beamdirections).

The wireless communications system 100 may be a packet-based networkthat operates according to a layered protocol stack. In the user plane,communications at the bearer or Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP)layer may be IP-based. A Radio Link Control (RLC) layer may performpacket segmentation and reassembly to communicate over logical channels.A Medium Access Control (MAC) layer may perform priority handling andmultiplexing of logical channels into transport channels. The MAC layermay also use error detection techniques, error correction techniques, orboth to support retransmissions at the MAC layer to improve linkefficiency. In the control plane, the Radio Resource Control (RRC)protocol layer may provide establishment, configuration, and maintenanceof an RRC connection between a UE 115 and a base station 105 or a corenetwork 130 supporting radio bearers for user plane data. At thephysical layer, transport channels may be mapped to physical channels.

The UEs 115 and the base stations 105 may support retransmissions ofdata to increase the likelihood that data is received successfully.Hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) feedback is one technique forincreasing the likelihood that data is received correctly over acommunication link 125. HARQ may include a combination of errordetection (e.g., using a cyclic redundancy check (CRC)), forward errorcorrection (FEC), and retransmission (e.g., automatic repeat request(ARQ)). HARQ may improve throughput at the MAC layer in poor radioconditions (e.g., low signal-to-noise conditions). In some examples, adevice may support same-slot HARQ feedback, where the device may provideHARQ feedback in a specific slot for data received in a previous symbolin the slot. In other cases, the device may provide HARQ feedback in asubsequent slot, or according to some other time interval.

A UE 115 may establish a cellular connection with a base station 105associated with a cellular radio network. The UE 115 may receive anaccess policy of the cellular radio network identifying an accesspreference rule for the UE 115 to adopt for connections to a corenetwork function of the cellular radio network, the access preferencerule indicating for the UE to preferentially connect to the core networkfunction via a non-cellular radio network. The UE 115 may determine thata gateway between the non-cellular radio network and the core networkfunction of the cellular radio network is not configured. The UE 115 maydetermine that a gateway selection policy of the cellular radio networkis not configured. The UE 115 may establish, based at least in part onthe access preference rule, the gateway not being configured, and thegateway selection policy not being configured, a connection to a legacycore network function of a legacy cellular radio network via a legacygateway between the non-cellular radio network and the legacy corenetwork function of the legacy cellular radio network.

A UE 115 may establish a cellular connection with a base station 105associated with a cellular radio network. The UE 115 may receive anaccess policy of the cellular radio network identifying an accesspreference rule for the UE 115 to adopt for connections to a corenetwork function of the cellular radio network, the access preferencerule indicating for the UE 115 to preferentially connect to the corenetwork function via the cellular radio network via a gateway betweenthe cellular radio network and the core network function. The UE 115 maydetermine that the gateway is not configured. The UE 115 may determinethat a gateway selection policy of the cellular radio network is notconfigured. The UE 115 may determine that the non-cellular radio networkis available and that the cellular radio network has become unavailable.The UE 115 may establish, via the non-cellular radio network, aconnection to a legacy core network function of a legacy cellular radionetwork via a legacy gateway between the legacy core network functionand the non-cellular radio network. The UE 115 may identify a legacyaccess policy of the legacy cellular radio network identifying a legacyaccess preference rule for the UE 115 to adopt for connections to thelegacy core network function, the legacy access preference ruleindicating for the UE 115 to preferentially connect to the legacy corenetwork function via the non-cellular radio network. The UE 115 maydetermine that the cellular radio network has become available toestablish a new connection. The UE 115 may establish, based at least onthe access preference rule, the new connection to the cellular radionetwork.

A UE 115 may establishing a cellular connection with a base station 105associated with a cellular radio network. The UE 115 may receive anaccess policy of the cellular radio network identifying an accesspreference rule for the UE 115 to adopt for connections to a corenetwork function of the cellular radio network, the access preferencerule indicating for the UE 115 to preferentially connect to the corenetwork function via a non-cellular radio network. The UE 115 maydetermine that the non-cellular radio network is available and that agateway between the non-cellular radio network and the core networkfunction of the cellular radio network is not configured. The UE 115 maydetermine that a gateway selection policy of the cellular radio networkis not configured. The UE 115 may establish a connection to a legacycore network function of a legacy cellular radio network via a legacygateway between the legacy core network function and the non-cellularradio network. The UE 115 may identify a legacy access policy of thelegacy cellular radio network identifying a legacy access preferencerule for the UE 115 to adopt for connections to the legacy core networkfunction, the legacy access preference rule indicating for the UE 115 topreferentially connect to the legacy core network function via thelegacy cellular radio network. The UE 115 may maintain, based at leastin part on the access preference rule, the connection to the legacy corenetwork function of the legacy radio network via the legacy gateway.

A UE 115 may establish a connection to a legacy core network function ofa legacy cellular radio network via a legacy gateway between the legacycellular radio network and a non-cellular radio network. The UE 115 mayidentify, for each traffic descriptor in the set of traffic descriptors,a legacy access policy of the legacy cellular radio network identifyinga legacy access preference rule for the UE 115 to adopt for connectionsto the legacy core network function, each legacy access preference ruleindicating for the UE 115 to preferentially connect to the legacy corenetwork function via the legacy cellular radio network or a non-cellularradio network for the traffic descriptor and a legacy slice treatmentfor the traffic descriptor. The UE 115 may establish a connection to acore network function of a cellular radio network via a gateway betweenthe cellular radio network and the non-cellular radio network. The UE115 may identify, for each traffic descriptor in the set of trafficdescriptors, an access policy of the cellular radio network identifyingan access preference rule for the UE 115 to adopt for connections to thecore network function of the cellular radio network, each accesspreference rule indicating for the UE 115 to preferentially connect tothe core network function via the cellular radio network or thenon-cellular radio network for the traffic descriptor and a slicetreatment for the traffic descriptor. The UE 115 may determine, for eachtraffic descriptor and based at least in part on the legacy slicetreatment and the slice treatment and based at least in part on theaccess policy, to transfer the connection associated with the trafficdescriptor to the core network function or to establish an updatedconnection for the traffic descriptor with the core network function.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a wireless communications system 200that supports methods to handle slicing accounting for evolved packetdata gateway Wi-Fi access in accordance with aspects of the presentdisclosure. In some examples, wireless communications system 200 mayimplement aspects of wireless communications system 100. Wirelesscommunications system 200 may include a UE 205, an eNB 210 (e.g., a basestation associated with a legacy cellular radio network), a Wi-Fi accesspoint (AP) 215, a gNB 220, an EPC 225, a 5GC 230, an EPDG 235, an N3IWF240, and an IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) 245 (e.g., an IMS core network(CN) subsystem), which may be examples of the corresponding devicesdescribed herein.

Broadly, eNB 210 may be an example of any base station associated with alegacy cellular radio network, such as a 4G cellular radio networkand/or 5G NR NSA cellular radio network. Similarly, gNB 220 may be anexample of any base station associated with a cellular radio network,such as a 5G NR SA cellular radio network. The Wi-Fi AP 215 may be anexample of an access point in a non-cellular radio network, such as aWLAN, Wi-Fi, or any other non-cellular radio network. EPC 225 may referto a legacy core network function of the legacy cellular radio network(e.g., a 4G cellular radio network and/or a 5G NR NSA cellular radionetwork). Similarly, 5GC 230 may refer to a core network function of thecellular radio network (e.g., a 5G NR SA cellular radio network). IMS245 may generally refer to any device, function, architecturalframework, and the like, delivering IP multimedia services (e.g.,IP-based traffic) between EPC 225, Wi-Fi AP 215, and/or 5GC 230 and theInternet.

When UE 205 is acting as a Wi-Fi only UE, it may connect to Wi-Fi AP 215to exchange traffic via the IMS 245 via Wi-Fi AP 215. When UE 205connects to eNB 210 (e.g., the UE 205 connects to a legacy cellularradio network), it may exchange traffic with IMS 245 via eNB 210 and EPC225. If UE 205 connects to gNB 220 (e.g., the UE 205 connects to acellular radio network), it may exchange traffic with IMS 245 via gNB220 and 5GC 230. However, in some scenarios it may be more beneficialfor UE 205 to access IMS 245 via a Wi-Fi network. UE 205 may beconfigured with various policies, protocols, functions, entities, andthe like, that allow UE 205 to route traffic to IMS 245 via a gatewaybetween Wi-Fi AP 215 and the corresponding core network function.

UE 205 may connect to eNB 210 and/or gNB 220 and may be provided with,or otherwise identify, a legacy access policy and/or access policy,respectively. One non-limiting example of a legacy access policy mayinclude an ANDSF. Broadly, the ANDSF may refer to an entity within EPC225. The purpose of the ANDSF is to assist UE 205 to discover non-3GPPaccess networks (e.g., to discover non-cellular radio networks, such asa WLAN, Wi-Fi network, and the like) that can be used for datacommunications in addition to the 3GPP access networks (e.g., 4G/5G NRNSA). Additionally, the ANDSF may provide UE 205 with the rules policingthe connection to such non-cellular radio networks. For example, UE 205may be within the coverage area of both eNB 210 and Wi-Fi AP 215, butmay initially connect to eNB 210 to communicate via the legacy cellularradio network. Upon connecting to eNB 210 (and also gNB 220 in someexamples), UE 205 may be provided with the ANDSF legacy access policywhich identifies or otherwise tells UE 205 to give preference for PDUtraffic to a non-3GPP connection. As UE 205 is within the coverage areaof Wi-Fi AP 215, it may connect to Wi-Fi AP 215 and then establish aconnection to the legacy core network function (e.g., EPC 225) via theEPDG 235 gateway. Of course, ANDSF may tell UE 205 to give preference toPDU traffic to a 3GPP connection, such as the connection to EPC 225 viaeNB 210.

As another example, UE 205 may connect to gNB 220 and be provided with,or otherwise identify, an access policy. One non-limiting example of anaccess policy includes URSP. Broadly, UE 205 may use the URSP todetermine how to route outgoing traffic. The traffic can be routed to anestablished PDU session (e.g., with 5GC via gNB 220), can be offloadedto a non-3GPP access (e.g., offloaded to a non-cellular radio network,such as a Wi-Fi network), or can trigger the establishment of a new PDUsession. Similarly, UE 205 may be provided with, or otherwise identify,a gateway selection policy, such as ANDSP. Broadly, ANDSP is used by UE205 for selecting a non-3GPP access network (e.g., any non-cellularradio network, such as a Wi-Fi network). The ANDSP may include rulesthat aid UE 205 in selecting the WLAN access network. For example, UE205 may be within the coverage area of both gNB 220 and Wi-Fi AP 215,but may initially connect to gNB 220 to communicate via the cellularradio network. Upon connecting to gNB 220, UE 205 may be provided withthe URSP access policy which identifies or otherwise tells UE 205 togive preference for PDU traffic to a non-3GPP connection (such as aWi-Fi network). Further, the ANDSP access policy may aid UE 205 inselecting the appropriate non-3GPP access network. As UE 205 is withinthe coverage area of Wi-Fi AP 215 and ANDSP helps UE 205 identify Wi-FiAP 215 as an acceptable non-3GPP access network, UE 205 may connect toWi-Fi AP 215 and then establish a connection to the core networkfunction (e.g., 5GC 230) via the N3IWF 240 gateway. Of course, URSP maytell UE 205 to give preference to PDU traffic to a 3GPP connection, suchas the connection to 5GC 230 via gNB 220.

Although such techniques may be agreed to by the relevant governingstandards bodies and configured for UE 205, there may be a situationwhere one or more of the entities and/or policies are not yetimplemented or otherwise configured for use. That is, deployment of aheterogenous network, such as wireless communications system 200, may bean ongoing process. For example, the legacy cellular radio network(e.g., 4G radio network) may be deployed separately, but largely at thesame time as the non-3 GPP access network (such as the Wi-Fi network).The 5G NR NSA cellular radio network may be deployed after the 4G radionetwork. The 5G NR SA cellular radio network may be deployed last and,in some aspects, such deployment may continue to be ongoing.

In some situations, this may create disparities between the wayconnectivity is configured to be implemented and the way in whichconnectivity can be implemented. As one example, many network operatorsdeploying 5G NR SA cellular radio networks throughout various regionsmay not include every function, policy, entity, and the like. Forexample, some network operators deploy the 5G NR SA cellular radionetwork consisting of gNB 220 and/or 5GC 230, but do not implement ANDSPand/or N3IWF 230. That is, UE 205 may establish a cellular connectionwith gNB 220 associated with a 5G NR SA cellular radio network. UE 205may receive the URSP access policy of the 5G NR SA cellular radionetwork giving an access preference for UE 205 to adopt for connectionsto a 5GC 230 core network function of the cellular radio network. In thesituation where the URSP gives preference for a 3GPP access network, UE205 may simply access IMS 245 via gNB 220 and 5GC 230. However, in someexamples, UE 205 may determine that ANDSP and/or N3IWF 240 are notconfigured, activated, or are otherwise unavailable for the 5G NR SAcellular radio network. This creates a disparity for UE 205 with regardsto how to proceed when the URSP gives preference to a non-3GPP accessnetwork. For example, UE 205 may not be able to identify Wi-Fi AP 215without ANDSP and/or connect to 5GC 230 via Wi-Fi AP 215 and N3IWF 240when neither ANDSP nor N3IWF 240 are configured for the 5G NR SAcellular radio network. Generally, the described techniques providevarious mechanisms that address such disparities or inconsistenciesbetween legacy cellular radio networks and advanced cellular radionetworks.

For example, UE 205 may establish a connection with gNB 220 that isassociated with a cellular radio network (e.g., a 5G NR SA cellularconnection). Accordingly, UE 205 may receive an access policy (e.g., aURSP) identifying an access preference rule for UE 205 to use forconnections to a core network function (such as 5GC 230) of the cellularradio network. The URSP may indicate for UE 205 to preferentiallyconnect to the 5GC via a non-cellular radio network, e.g., to route theoutgoing traffic in the PDU session via a Wi-Fi network. However, UE 205may determine that the N3IWF 240 gateway between the Wi-Fi radio network(e.g., Wi-Fi AP 215) and the 5GC 230 is not configured or is otherwiseunavailable. UE 205 may also determine that the ANDSP gateway selectionpolicy is not configured for the 5G NR SA. Accordingly, UE 205 mayestablish a connection to a legacy core network function (e.g., EPC 225core network function) of a legacy cellular radio network (e.g., 4Gand/or 5G NR NSA cellular radio network) via a legacy gateway (e.g., viaEPDG 235). Thus, despite the URSP giving preference to the Wi-Fi networkand the fact that ANDSP and N3IWF are not configured or otherwiseavailable, UE 205 may still utilize the EPDG 235 gateway to connect toEPC 225 core network following the URSP access policy when noANDSP/N3IWF 240 are configured for the 5G NR SA cellular radio network.UE 205 may access IMS 245 via EPC 225 to exchange PDU session traffic.

As another example, UE 205 may have established the cellular connectionwith gNB 220 in the 5G NR SA cellular radio network. However, in thisexample the URSP received by UE 205 may give preference to the 3GPPconnection, e.g., for the UE to route the outgoing traffic in the PDUsession to the 5G NR SA cellular radio network via 5GC 230 and gNB 220.The URSP may give preference for UE 205 to connect to 5GC 230 via the 5GNR SA base station (e.g., gNB 220). However, UE 205 may determine thatneither the N3IWF 240 gateway nor the ANDSP gateway selection policy areconfigured for the cellular radio network (e.g., for the 5G NR SAcellular radio network). Subsequently, UE 205 may determine that its 5GNR SA cellular radio network has become unavailable (e.g., UE 205 haslost its connection with gNB 220), but that a Wi-Fi radio network isavailable (e.g., UE 205 is within the coverage area of Wi-Fi AP 215). Inresponse, UE 205 may establish a connection to a legacy core networkfunction (e.g., EPC 225) of the legacy cellular radio network (e.g.,4G/5G NR NSA) via a legacy gateway (e.g., EPDG 235). UE 205 may identifyor otherwise determine a legacy access policy (e.g., ANDSF) that givespreference for UE 205 to use a non-cellular radio network (e.g., a Wi-Finetwork). However, UE 205 may determine that the 5G NR SA cellular radionetwork has become available again, and therefore establish a newconnection to the cellular radio network. That is, even though the ANDSFinstructs the UE 205 to give preference to a Wi-Fi network, UE 205 willfollow the preference given in the URSP and reestablish its connectionto the 5G NR NSA cellular radio network via gNB 220 when the 5G NR SAcellular radio network becomes available again. Otherwise UE 205 mayhave to use the Wi-Fi connection even though a more advanced 5G NR SAnetwork is available.

As another example, UE 205 may establish the cellular connection to the5G NR SA cellular radio network (e.g., a connection to 5GC 230 via gNB220) and receive the URSP access policy that, in this example, givespreference to the non-cellular radio network (e.g., gives preference toa non-3GPP network, such as a Wi-Fi network). Again, UE 205 maydetermine that neither the ANDSP nor N3IWF 240 are configured orotherwise available for the 5G NR SA cellular radio network, but that aWi-Fi network is available. Accordingly, UE 205 may establish aconnection to EPC 225 legacy core network function of the 4G/5G NR NSAlegacy cellular radio network via EPDG 235 legacy gateway. UE 205 mayreceive or otherwise identify the ANDSF legacy access policy which, inthis example, gives preference to a 3GPP connection. Previously, UE 205would ping-pong between the 5G NR SA connection and the Wi-Fi connectionwhen both connections were available. That is, URSP prefers Wi-Fi andANDSF prefers cellular, which means that UE 205 would connect to URSP,which triggers UE 205 to establish the Wi-Fi connection. Upon connectingto Wi-Fi, UE 205 would be given ANDSF which prefers a cellularconnection. UE 205 would ping-pong between the Wi-Fi connection and thecellular radio network connection due to the disparities between the twoaccess policies. However, to avoid such ping-pongs, UE 205 may maintainthe connection to EPC 225 legacy core network function via EPDG 235legacy gateway. As discussed, UE 205 may maintain the connection to EPC225 legacy core network function via EPDG 235 since N3IWF 240 and ANDSPare not yet configured or otherwise available on the 5G NR SA cellularradio network. This approach may avoid UE 205 constantly or frequentlyswitching between the 5G NR SA network in which the URSP givespreference to a non-3GPP connection and the Wi-Fi network in which theANDSF gives preference to a 3GPP connection.

Another approach to one or more of the above-described scenarios mayinclude gNB 220 providing UE 205 with out-of-band signaling via openmobile alliance (OMA) device management (DM) signaling identifying theconnection preference for UE 205 to adopt. For example, gNB 220 maytransmit a configuration signal to UE 205 for connections via thenon-cellular radio network. The configuration signal may configure UE205 to connect to the legacy core network function (e.g., EPC 225) viathe non-cellular radio network. For example, the configuration signalmay configure UE 205 to try connecting to EPC 225 via EPDG 235 while onWi-Fi access. The configuration signal may configure UE 205 to tryconnecting to 5GC 230 via N3IWF 240 while on Wi-Fi access. In oneexample, the configuration signal may configure UE 205 to try connectingto N3IWF 240 while on Wi-Fi access but, if that attempt is unsuccessful,to try connecting to EPDG 235 while on Wi-Fi access. Thus, theconfiguration signal may provide more explicit guidance for UE 205 toadopt for connections to a core network function (e.g., either EPC 225or 5GC 230).

Another disparity that may arise in such a heterogenous network relatesto features that are implemented in a 5G NR SA cellular radio network,but not in the legacy cellular radio network or non-3GPP access network.One example of such functions relates to slicing within a 5G NR SAcellular radio network. That is, a cellular radio network may generallysupport or be a multi-service network supporting a wide range of trafficdescriptors with diverse performance and service requirements. Slicingallows network operators to provide portions of their networks forspecific customer use cases, such as a smart home, IoE, IoT factory,connected car, etc. Each use case (e.g., slice) generally receives aunique set of optimized resources and network topology that suits theneeds of an application (which may also be referred to as an generaltraffic descriptor), such as connectivity, speed, capacity, throughput,latency, reliability, etc. Accordingly, a user may pay for a certainslice treatment for a particular application/traffic descriptor, whichthe network operators guarantee to meet for the application/trafficdescriptor.

This feature may create disparities for UE 205 when dealing with aheterogenous network, such as wireless communications system 200. Forexample, while a 5G NR SA cellular radio network may support slicing, a4G/5G NR NSA legacy cellular radio networks may not “speak” slicing inthe same language as the 5G NR SA cellular radio network. That is, the4G/5G NR NSA cellular radio network may not be provisioned or otherwisesupport slicing treatment for a traffic descriptor in the same manner asthe 5G NR SA cellular radio network. This may result in a user of UE 205paying for a certain slice treatment, which the network operator mayhave difficulty providing when UE 205 connects to EPC 225 via EPDG 235gateway when on a Wi-Fi network.

Accordingly, aspects of the described techniques provide variousmechanisms for UE 205 to adopt when dealing with slicing in aheterogeneous network. For example, UE 205 may establish a connection toEPC 225 legacy core network function of a 4G/5G NR NSA legacy cellularradio network via EPDG 235 legacy gateway. UE 205 may be configured witha set of traffic descriptors (e.g., UE 205 may be operating differentapplications, each application having an associated one or more trafficdescriptors). For each traffic descriptor (e.g., each application), UE205 may identify the ANDSF legacy access policy that gives preference toUE 205 to connect via either a cellular radio network (e.g., 3GPPcellular radio network) or a non-cellular radio network (e.g., anon-3GPP radio network, such as a Wi-Fi network). UE 205 may alsoidentify or otherwise determine a legacy slice treatment associated witheach traffic descriptor, e.g., based at least in part on the connectionto EPC 225 via EPDG 235. The legacy slice treatment may generally referto the performance characteristics provided for the traffic descriptor,e.g., latency requirements, priority, reliability requirements, and thelike. UE 205 may establish a connection to a 5GC 230 core networkfunction of a 5G NR SA cellular radio network. Accordingly, UE 205 mayreceive or otherwise identify a URSP access policy for UE 205 to adoptthat also tells UE 205 whether to preferentially connect via either thecellular radio network or a non-cellular radio network. UE 205 may alsodetermine or otherwise identify the slice treatment for each trafficdescriptor, e.g., based at least in part on the URSP access policy,traffic descriptor identifier, traffic descriptor type, etc.Accordingly, UE 205 may use the URSP access policy, the legacy slicetreatment (from EPC 225), and/or the slice treatment (from 5GC 230), todetermine whether to transfer the connection for each traffic descriptorfrom EPC 225 via EPDG 235 gateway to 5GC 230 or to establish an updatedconnection with 5GC 230 via N3IWF 240 gateway. Accordingly, UE 205 canensure that each traffic descriptor is given the proper slice treatmentand/or connection preference when switching from an EPC 225 connectionto a 5GC 230 connection.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a process 300 that supports methods tohandle slicing accounting for evolved packet data gateway Wi-Fi accessin accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. In some examples,process 300 may implement aspects of wireless communications systems 100and/or 200. Aspects of process 300 may be implemented by UE 305, 5GC310, and/or EPC 315, which may be examples of the corresponding devicesdescribed herein. It is to be understood that UE 305 may be connected to5GC 310 via a 5G NR SA base station and/or via a Wi-Fi AP and N3IWFgateway when UE 305 is connected to a non-3GPP access network, such as aWi-Fi network. Similarly, UE 305 may be connected to EPC 315 via a Wi-FiAP and an EPDG legacy gateway when UE 305 is connected to a non-3GPPaccess network, such as a Wi-Fi network.

As discussed above, aspects of the described techniques providemechanisms for UE 305 to address disparities in a heterogenous network.For example, the URSP access policy (e.g., the non-3GPP or Wi-Fi accesspolicy) was originally intended to support UE 305 connecting to 5GC 310via an N3IWF gateway. The URSP was subsequently modified to include anEPDG for connections to EPC 315 via the EPDG gateway, but to allow theANDSP gateway selection policy to indicate or otherwise guide UE 305 topick the node that UE 305 uses. However, neither N3IWF nor ANDSP aredeployed or otherwise configured for many 5G NR SA cellular radionetworks. This creates a question of how does UE 305 know whether theURSP rules pertaining to non-3GPP (e.g., Wi-Fi) access are even relevantsince many operators have not deployed the N3IWF gateway and/or ANDSP.For operators who have deployed ANDSF for legacy cellular radio networks(e.g., 4G/5G NR NSA), the guiding standard indicates that, if UE 305 isregistered to 5GC 315 via a 3GPP access and registered to EPC 310 via anon-3GPP access, UE 305 may use the ANDSF rules and the radio accessnetwork (RAN) rules, if available at UE 305, for uplink user data sentvia EPDG, and apply URSP rules and applicable user preferences, ifavailable at UE 305, to all of their uplink user data.

However, this creates a bootstrapping problem for UE 305. That is, howdoes UE 305 decide in the first place whether to register to EPC 315 andwhich uplink user data should be sent via EPDG. This results in acyclical logical scenario for UE 305. That is, in order to pick theright policy to refer to, UE 305 needs to determine which uplink datashould go via the EPDG. However, the guiding standard indicates for UE305 to use ANDSP to decide between EPDG or N3IWF, but ANDSP may not bedeployed. Process 300 illustrates one non-limiting example of how UE 305may resolve this scenario.

At 320, UE 305 may register with 5GC 310. That is, UE 305 may establisha cellular connection with a base station associated with a cellularradio network, e.g., a 5G NR SA base station. For example, UE 305 mayboot up in an area of 5G NR SA radio coverage and connect to 5GC 310core network using non-access stratum (NAS) signaling.

At 325, UE 305 may be configured with the cellular network's URSPpolicy. That is, UE 305 may receive, from the network via the basestation, an access policy (e.g., URSP) of the cellular radio networkthat identifies an access preference rule for UE 305 to adopt forconnections to a core network function (e.g., 5GC 310) of the cellularradio network. The URSP may indicate for UE 305 to preferentiallyconnect to the core network function via a non-cellular radio network(e.g., prefer a non-3GPP access network, such as a Wi-Fi network).Accordingly, the network may download the URSP policies to UE 305.

At 330, the URSP may be installed for UE 305. That is, the network mayhave downloaded the URSP policy to UE 305. At this point and per theguiding standards, UE 305 is only supposed to refer to URSP for itspolicies. One of the rules specified in URSP is for each data networkname (DNN), whether the preferred access is 3GPP (e.g., cellular) ornon-3GPP (e.g., Wi-Fi). For example, a URSP rule may look like:

-   -   Traffic Descriptor: DNN-Name=DNN1        -   RouteSelectionDescriptor: Access-Preference=Non-3GPP            -   Access-Preference=3GPP

This rule may mean that, when UE 305 is in an area with both 5G andWi-Fi coverage, the network operator wants DNN1 to be connected overWi-Fi access if possible. But, if UE 305 is not in an area of Wi-Ficoverage (or has any other problem connecting to the Wi-Fi network), thenetwork operator wants UE 305 to establish its connection to 5GC 310over 5G.

At 335, UE 305 may determine that it has entered a Wi-Fi coverage areain addition to the 5G NR SA cellular radio network. That is, UE 305 mayenter an area where there is also Wi-Fi coverage in addition to 5G NRcoverage. However, per the guiding standards for URSP, UE 305 accessinga non-3GPP coverage area included N3IWF or EPDG may assume the ANDSPgateway selection policy would be available for UE 305 to use in orderto pick which gateway to use. As discussed though, some 5G NR SAcellular radio networks are not configured with N3IWF and/or ANDSP(e.g., the operator has not deployed or otherwise activated thesefunctions). Accordingly, UE 305 may determine that the N3IWF gatewayand/or the ANDSP gateway selection policy are not configured for its 5GNR SA cellular radio network connection. According to the describedtechniques, UE 305 may consider that non-3GPP access is access via Wi-Fiand EPDG to gain access to EPC 315 (e.g., to gain access to a 4G EPC) tosolve the bootstrapping problem discussed above. When UE 305 encountersa URSP rule that prefers non-3GPP access network (e.g., Wi-Fi network),these techniques direct UE 305 to connect to EPC 315 via the EPDG legacygateway. If this connection is successful, then UE 305 may subsequentlyfollow what is specified in the guiding standards and use the ANDSFlegacy access policy going forward.

Accordingly and at 340, UE 305 may establish a connection for DNN1 withEPC 315 via a EPDG gateway. That is, UE 305 may establish a connectionwith an Wi-Fi AP and then access EPC 315 via the EPDG legacy gatewaythat is located between the Wi-Fi AP and EPC 315.

As also discussed above, in some examples, the network (e.g., via thebase station using out-of-band signaling) may configure UE 305 withvalues corresponding to:

0—only try connecting to EPDG while on Wi-Fi access

1—only try connecting to N3IWF while on Wi-Fi access

2—try connecting to N3IWF first while on Wi-Fi access, but if thatattempt to connect is unsuccessful, try connecting to EPDG

For example, the base station may transmit a configuration signal to UE305 for connections via the non-cellular radio network that configurehow UE 305 tries to connect to the N3IWF gateway to the 5GC 310 corenetwork function of the 5G NR SA cellular radio network and/or to theEPDG legacy gateway to the EPC 315 legacy core network function of the4G/5G NR NSA legacy cellular radio network.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a process 400 that supports methods tohandle slicing accounting for evolved packet data gateway Wi-Fi accessin accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. In some examples,process 400 may implement aspects of wireless communications systems 100and/or 200 and/or process 300. Aspects of process 400 may be implementedby UE 405, 5GC 410, and/or EPC 415, which may be examples of thecorresponding devices described herein. It is to be understood that UE405 may be connected to 5GC 410 via a 5G NR SA base station and/or via aWi-Fi AP and N3IWF gateway when UE 405 is connected to a non-3GPP accessnetwork, such as a Wi-Fi network. Similarly, UE 405 may be connected toEPC 415 via a Wi-Fi AP and an EPDG legacy gateway when UE 405 isconnected to a non-3GPP access network, such as a Wi-Fi network.

As discussed above, aspects of the described techniques providemechanisms for UE 405 to address disparities in a heterogenous network.For example, the URSP access policy (e.g., the non-3GPP or Wi-Fi accesspolicy) was originally intended to support UE 405 connecting to 5GC 410via an N3IWF gateway. The URSP was subsequently modified to include anEPDG for connections to EPC 415 via the EPDG gateway, but to allow theANDSP gateway selection policy to indicate or otherwise guide UE 405 topick the node that UE 405 uses. However, neither N3IWF nor ANDSP aredeployed or otherwise configured for many 5G NR SA cellular radionetworks. This creates a question of how does UE 405 know whether theURSP rules pertaining to non-3GPP (e.g., Wi-Fi) access are even relevantsince many operators have not deployed the N3IWF gateway and/or ANDSP.For operators who have deployed ANDSF for legacy cellular radio networks(e.g., 4G/5G NR NSA), the guiding standard indicates that, if UE 405 isregistered to the 5GC 415 via a 3GPP access and registered to EPC 410via a non-3GPP access, UE 405 may use the ANDSF rules and the RAN rules,if available at UE 405, for uplink user data sent via EPDG, and applyURSP rules and applicable user preferences, if available at UE 405, toall of their uplink user data.

However, this creates a bootstrapping problem for UE 405. That is, UE405 may not know how to initially decide whether to register to EPC 415or know which uplink user data should be sent via EPDG. This results ina cyclical logic scenario for UE 405. That is, in order to pick theright policy to refer to, UE 405 may need to determine which uplink datashould be communicated via the EPDG and EPC 415. However, the guidingstandard indicates for UE 405 to use ANDSP to decide between EPDG orN3IWF, but ANDSP may not be deployed. Process 400 illustrates onenon-limiting example of how UE 405 may resolve this scenario.

At 420, UE 405 may be provided or otherwise identify its ANDSF policy.UE 405 may identify the ANDSF legacy access policy based at least inpart on a permanent configuration (e.g., preconfigured for UE 405), viaRRC signaling, and the like. An example of the ANDSF policy may be:

-   ANDSF inter system routing policy (ISRP) configured as:    -   ANDSF/ISRP/<X>/ForServiceBased/access point name one (APN1)/APN        -   ANDSF/Policy/<X>PrioritizedAccess/WLAN/AccessTechnology    -   ANDSF/ISRP/<X>/ForServiceBased/APN1/APN        -   ANDSF/Policy/<X>/PrioritizedAccess/3gpp/AccessTechnology

The ANDSF legacy access policy may indicate for UE 405 to givepreference to a non-3GPP access network (e.g., a Wi-Fi network). Thatis, the ANDSF rule indicates that, when UE 405 is in a coverage area ofboth a 4G/5G NR NSA legacy cellular radio network and a Wi-Fi network,the network operator wants DNN1 to be connected over a Wi-Fi accessnetwork if possible. However, if UE 405 is not in an area of Wi-Ficoverage or has any difficulties connecting to the Wi-Fi network, thenUE 405 can utilize the legacy cellular radio network to connect to EPC415 via an EPDG legacy gateway.

At 425, UE 405 may register with 5GC 410. That is, UE 405 may establisha cellular connection with a base station associated with a cellularradio network, e.g., a 5G NR SA base station. For example, UE 405 mayboot up in an area of 5G NR SA radio coverage and connect to 5GC 410core network using NAS signaling.

At 430, UE 405 may be configured with the cellular network's URSPpolicy. That is, UE 405 may receive, from the network via the basestation, an access policy (e.g., URSP) of the cellular radio networkthat identifies an access preference rule for UE 405 to adopt forconnections to a core network function (e.g., 5GC 410) of the cellularradio network. The URSP may indicate for UE 405 to preferentiallyconnect to the core network function via a cellular radio network (e.g.,UE 405 may prefer a 3GPP access network, such as the 5G NR SA network).Accordingly, the network may download the URSP policies to UE 405.

At 435, the URSP may be installed for UE 405. That is, the network mayhave downloaded the URSP policy to UE 405. At this point and per theguiding standards, UE 405 is only supposed to refer to URSP for itspolicies. One of the rules specified in URSP is for each DNN, whetherthe preferred access is 3GPP (e.g., cellular) or non-3GPP (e.g., Wi-Fi).For example, a URSP rule may look like:

-   -   Traffic Descriptor: DNN-Name=DNN1        -   RouteSelectionDescriptor: Access-Preference=3GPP            -   Access-Preference=Non-3GPP

This rule may mean that, when UE 405 is in an area with both 5G andWi-Fi coverage, the network operator wants DNN1 to be connected over 5Gaccess if possible. But, if UE 405 is not in an area of 5G coverage (orhas any other problem connecting to the 5G network), the networkoperator wants UE 405 to establish its connection to 5GC 410 over Wi-Fi.

At 440, UE 405 may determine that it has entered Wi-Fi coverage area,but there is no 5G NR SA cellular radio network coverage. That is, UE405 may enter an area where there is only Wi-Fi coverage, but no 5G NRcoverage (e.g., UE 405 may have dropped its 5G connection). However, andper the guiding standards for URSP, UE 405 accessing a non-3GPP coveragearea including N3IWF or EPDG may assume the ANDSP gateway selectionpolicy would be available for UE 405 to use in order to pick whichgateway. As discussed though, some 5G NR SA cellular radio networks arenot configured with N3IWF and/or ANDSP (e.g., the operator has notdeployed or otherwise activated these functions). Accordingly, UE 405may determine that the N3IWF gateway and/or ANDSP gateway selectionpolicy are not configured for its 5G NR SA cellular radio networkconnection. According to the described techniques, UE 405 may considerthat non-3GPP access is access via Wi-Fi and EPDG to gain access to EPC415 (e.g., to gain access to a 4G EPC) to solve the bootstrappingproblem discussed above. When UE 405 encounters a URSP rule that prefersnon-3GPP access network (e.g., Wi-Fi network), these techniques directUE 405 to connect to EPC 415 via the EPDG legacy gateway. If thisconnection is successful, then UE 405 may subsequently follow what isspecified in the guiding standards and use the ANDSF legacy accesspolicy going forward.

Accordingly, and at 445, UE 405 may establish a connection for DNN1 withEPC 415 via a EPDG gateway. That is, UE 405 may establish a connectionwith an Wi-Fi AP and then access EPC 415 via the EPDG legacy gatewaythat is located between the Wi-Fi AP and EPC 415.

Per the rule discussed with respect to process 300, UE 405 may accessEPC 415 via its connection using the EPDG legacy gateway according tothe second preference provided in the URSP rule installed at 435.However, now UE 405 may begin following the ANDSF rule received at 420,which gives preference to a Wi-Fi connection. At this point, UE 405 isconnected to EPC 410 via an EPDG legacy gateway and according to itsANDSF legacy access rule. However, this may create an issue for UE 405should it enter the 5G NR SA coverage area again.

That is, the intention of the network operator (e.g., per the URSPaccess policy) was for DNN1 to give preference to 5G when a 5G networkwas available and only use a Wi-Fi network if the 5G network wasunavailable. However, once UE 405 connects to EPC 415 via the EPDGlegacy gateway and the 5G coverage area is dropped, UE 405 follows theANDSF legacy access policy which gives preference to a Wi-Fi network forconnections to EPC 415 of the 4G network. UE 405 may follow the guidingstandards discussed above which indicate for UE 405 to use the ANDSFrules and RAN rules, if available at UE 405, for uplink user data sentvia the EPDG legacy gateway. In the situation where UE 405 once againenters a 5G coverage area, it would not attempt to establish a newconnection to the 5G network if it blindly followed the ANDSF legacyaccess policy. This may deny UE 405 the opportunity to reconnect to the5G network should it become available.

However, according to the described techniques, UE 405 may establish anew connection to the 5G NR SA cellular radio network once it becomesavailable again. That is, instead of following the guiding standardsdiscussed above, the described techniques provide for UE 405 to startusing the URSP access policy again when a 5G network is available andregistered for UE 405. UE 405 may do this even if it has been and isusing the EPDG legacy gateway over a Wi-Fi connection for data transfer.If the URSP access policy rules state to give 5G preference, then UE 405may attempt a handoff of DNN1 to 5GC 410.

Accordingly, and at 450, UE 405 may determine that the cellular radionetwork (e.g., 5G NR SA cellular radio network) has become availableagain and may try to establish a new connection with the cellular radionetwork. Therefore, and at 455, UE 405 may register with 5GC 410 (e.g.,UE 405 may connect to a base station associated with the 5G NR SAcellular radio network and connect to 5GC 410 via of the base station).At 460, UE 405 may switch to the URSP access policy which givespreference to a 3GPP access network. Therefore, and at 465, UE 45 mayhandover the DNN1 connection from EPC 415 to 5GC 410. That is, despitethe guiding standards indicating for UE 405 to follow the ANDSF legacyaccess policy and give preference to a Wi-Fi connection when available,UE 405 may reconnect to a 5G network when the 5G network becomesavailable again. As the 5G network may have better performancecapabilities than a 4G and/or Wi-Fi networks, this may ensure that UE405 is able to connect to the most capable network available.

In the situation where the N3IWF gateway and ANDSP are configured forthe new connection to the 5G NR SA cellular radio network and theupdated URSP rule given at 460 gives preference to non-3GPP, UE 405 maytransfer the DNN1 connection to 5GC 410 from EPC 415 via the EPDG legacygateway to 5GC 410 via the N3IWF gateway.

As also discussed above, in some examples the network (e.g., via thebase station using out-of-band signaling) may configure UE 405 withvalues corresponding to:

0—only try connecting to EPDG while on Wi-Fi access

1—only try connecting to N3IWF while on Wi-Fi access

2—try connecting to N3IWF first while on Wi-Fi access, but if thatattempt to connect is unsuccessful, try connecting to EPDG

For example, the base station may transmit a configuration signal to UE405 for connections via the non-cellular radio network that configureshow UE 405 tries to connect to the N3IWF gateway to the 5GC 410 corenetwork function of the 5G NR SA cellular radio network and/or to theEPDG legacy gateway to the EPC 415 legacy core network function of the4G/5G NR NSA legacy cellular radio network.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a process 500 that supports methods tohandle slicing accounting for evolved packet data gateway Wi-Fi accessin accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. In some examples,process 500 may implement aspects of wireless communications systems 100and/or 200 and/or processes 300 and/or 400. Aspects of process 500 maybe implemented by UE 505, 5GC 510, and/or EPC 515, which may be examplesof the corresponding devices described herein. It is to be understoodthat UE 505 may be connected to 5GC 510 via a 5G NR SA base stationand/or via a Wi-Fi AP and N3IWF gateway when UE 505 is connected to anon-3GPP access network, such as a Wi-Fi network.

Similarly, UE 505 may be connected to EPC 515 via a Wi-Fi AP and an EPDGlegacy gateway when UE 505 is connected to a non-3GPP access network,such as a Wi-Fi network.

As discussed above, aspects of the described techniques providemechanisms for UE 505 to address disparities in a heterogenous network.For example, the URSP access policy (e.g., the non-3GPP or Wi-Fi accesspolicy) was originally intended to support UE 505 connecting to 5GC 510via an N3IWF gateway. The URSP was subsequently modified to include anEPDG for connections to EPC 515 via the EPDG gateway, but to allow theANDSP gateway selection policy to indicate or otherwise guide UE 505 topick the node that UE 505 uses. However, neither N3IWF nor ANDSP aredeployed or otherwise configured for many 5G NR SA cellular radionetworks. This creates a question of how does UE 505 know whether theURSP rules pertaining to non-3GPP (e.g., Wi-Fi) access are even relevantsince many operators have not deployed the N3IWF gateway and/or ANDSP.For operators who have deployed ANDSF for legacy cellular radio networks(e.g., 4G/5G NR NSA), the guiding standard indicates that, if UE 505 isregistered to 5GC 510 via a 3GPP access and registered to EPC 510 via anon-3GPP access, UE 505 may use the ANDSF rules and the RAN rules, ifavailable at UE 505, for uplink user data sent via EPDG, and apply URSPrules and applicable user preferences, if available at UE 505, to all oftheir uplink user data.

However, this creates a bootstrapping problem for UE 505. That is, howdoes UE 505 decide in the first place whether to register to EPC 515 andwhich uplink user data to send via EPDG. This results in a cyclicallogic scenario for UE 505. That is, in order to pick the right policy torefer to, UE 405 needs to determine which uplink data should becommunicated via the EPDG and EPC 515. However, the guiding standardindicates for UE 505 to use ANDSP to decide between EPDG or N3IWF, butANDSP may not be deployed.

At 520, UE 505 may be provided or otherwise identify its ANDSF policy.UE 505 may identify the ANDSF legacy access policy based at least inpart on a permanent configuration (e.g., preconfigured for UE 505), viaRRC signaling, and the like. An example of the ANDSF policy may be:

-   ANDSF ISRP configured as:    -   ANDSF/ISRP/<X>/ForServiceBased/APN1/APN        -   ANDSF/Policy/<X>PrioritizedAccess/3gpp/AccessTechnology    -   ANDSF/ISRP/<X>/ForServiceBased/APN1/APN        -   ANDSF/Policy/<X>/PrioritizedAccess/WLAN/AccessTechnology

The ANDSF legacy access policy may indicate for UE 505 to givepreference to a 3GPP access network (e.g., a 5G network). That is, theANDSF rule may indicate that, when UE 505 is in coverage areas of both a4G/5G NR NSA legacy cellular radio network and a Wi-Fi network, thenetwork operator wants DNN1 to be connected over a 3GPP access networkif possible. However, if UE 505 is not in an area of 5G coverage or hasany difficulties connecting to the 5G network, then UE 505 can utilizethe non-3GPP access network to connect to EPC 515 via an EPDG legacygateway.

At 520, UE 505 may determine that it is located in the coverage areas of5G NR SA, a 4G/5G NR NSA, and a Wi-Fi networks.

Accordingly, and at 530, UE 505 may register with 5GC 510. That is, UE505 may establish a cellular connection with a base station associatedwith a cellular radio network, e.g., a 5G NR SA base station. Forexample, UE 505 may boot up in an area of 5G NR SA radio coverage andconnect to 5GC 510 core network using NAS signaling.

At 535, UE 505 may be configured with the cellular network's URSPpolicy. That is, UE 505 may receive, from the network via the basestation, an access policy (e.g., URSP) of the cellular radio networkthat identifies an access preference rule for UE 505 to adopt forconnections to a core network function (e.g., 5GC 510) of the cellularradio network. The URSP may indicate for UE 505 to preferentiallyconnect to the core network function via a non-cellular radio network(e.g., prefer a non-3GPP access network, such as a Wi-Fi network).Accordingly, the network may download the URSP policies to UE 505.

Accordingly, the URSP may be installed for UE 505. That is, the networkmay have downloaded the URSP policy to UE 505. At this point and per theguiding standards, UE 505 is only supposed to refer to URSP for itspolicies. One of the rules specified in URSP is for each DNN, whetherthe preferred access is 3GPP (e.g., cellular) or non-3GPP (e.g., Wi-Fi).For example, a URSP rule may look like:

-   -   Traffic Descriptor: DNN-Name=DNN1        -   RouteSelectionDescriptor: Access-Preference=Non-3GPP            -   Access-Preference=3GPP

This rule may mean that, when UE 505 is in an area with both 5G andWi-Fi coverage, the network operator wants DNN1 to be connected over theWi-Fi access network if possible. But, if UE 505 is not in an area ofWi-Fi coverage (or has any other problem connecting to the Wi-Finetwork), the network operator wants UE 505 to establish its connectionto 5GC 510 over the 5G access network.

Thus, the network operator may have configured the ANDSF legacy accesspolicy to be the opposite of the URSP policy (e.g., ANDSF prefers 3GPPover Wi-Fi where URSP prefers Wi-Fi over 3GPP). One possible reason forthis configuration is that the operator intended the policy to be thatif UE 505 has a choice of 5G and WLAN networks, the WLAN chosen as the5G network may have spotty coverage during early deployment periods. If,however, UE 505 has a choice of 4G/5G NR NSA or WLAN networks, the 4G/5GNR NSA network may be chosen as it is a mature, stable network with alarger coverage area. However, this misconfiguration may lead to thesituation where, if UE 505 is in the coverage area of all three networksat the same time, UE 505 keeps ping-ponging from 5G to WLAN and backbecause URSP prefers Wi-Fi and, once connected to EPC 515 via the EPDGlegacy gateway, the ANDSF prefers 3GPP connections. This problem mayhave been avoided had these network operators deployed the N3IWF gatewayand ANDSP within the 5G NR SA cellular radio networks as UE 505 wouldsimply need to rely on the URSP.

Accordingly, and per URSP at 540, UE 505 may establish a connection forDNN1 with EPC 515 via a EPDG gateway. That is, UE 505 may establish aconnection with a Wi-Fi AP and then access EPC 515 via the EPDG legacygateway that is located between the Wi-Fi AP and EPC 515.

According to the described techniques, and at 545, UE 505 may maintainits connection for DNN1 with EPC 515 via the EPDG gateway. That is,despite the ANDSF legacy access policy directing UE 505 topreferentially connect to the 3GPP cellular radio network, UE 505 maycontinue to follow the URSP access policy and maintain its connectionfor DNN1 on EPC 515.

As also discussed above, in some examples the network (e.g., via thebase station using out-of-band signaling) may configure UE 405 withvalues corresponding to:

0—only try connecting to EPDG while on Wi-Fi access

1—only try connecting to N3IWF while on Wi-Fi access

2—try connecting to N3IWF first while on Wi-Fi access, but if thatattempt to connect is unsuccessful, try connecting to EPDG

For example, the base station may transmit a configuration signal to UE505 for connections via the non-cellular radio network that configurehow UE 505 tries to connect to the N3IWF gateway to the 5GC 510 corenetwork function of the 5G NR SA cellular radio network and/or to theEPDG legacy gateway to the EPC 515 legacy core network function of the4G/5G NR NSA legacy cellular radio network.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example of a process 600 that supports methods tohandle slicing accounting for evolved packet data gateway Wi-Fi accessin accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. In some examples,process 600 may implement aspects of wireless communications systems 100and/or 200 and/or processes 300, 400, and/or 500. Aspects of process 600may be implemented by UE 605, 5GC 610, and/or EPC 615, which may beexamples of the corresponding devices described herein. It is to beunderstood that UE 605 may be connected to 5GC 610 via a 5G NR SA basestation and/or via a Wi-Fi AP and N3IWF gateway when UE 605 is connectedto a non-3GPP access network, such as a Wi-Fi network. Similarly, UE 605may be connected to EPC 615 via a Wi-Fi AP and an EPDG legacy gatewaywhen UE 605 is connected to a non-3GPP access network, such as a Wi-Finetwork.

In some aspects, UE 605 may include a set of applications, with twoapplications being shown by way of example only. Generally, eachapplication may refer to any general traffic descriptor. Accordingly, UE605 may include a first application 625, a second application 620, and amodem 630, which may be examples of the corresponding devices describedherein. Modem 630 may monitor, control, or otherwise manage aspects ofcommunications between UE 605 and 5GC 610 and/or EPC 615 (e.g., via oneor more base stations, Wi-Fi APs, N3IWF gateways, EPDG legacy gateways,and the like).

As discussed above, aspects of the described techniques may support UE605 establishing a connection to an EPC 615 legacy core network functionof a 4G/5G NR NSA legacy cellular radio network via the EPDG legacygateway. UE 605 may be configured with a set of traffic descriptors(e.g., UE 605 may have different applications operating on UE 605, suchas first application 625 and/or second application 620). For eachtraffic descriptors (e.g., each application), UE 605 may identify theANDSF legacy access policy that gives preference to UE 605 to connectvia either a cellular radio network (e.g., 3GPP cellular radio network)or a non-cellular radio network (e.g., a non-3GPP radio network), suchas a routing selection preference. UE 605 may also identify or otherwisedetermine a legacy slice treatment associated with each trafficdescriptor, e.g., based at least in part on the connection to EPC 615via the EPDG. UE 605 may establish a connection to a 5GC 610 corenetwork function of a 5G NR SA cellular radio network via an N3IWFgateway. Accordingly, UE 605 may receive or otherwise identify a URSPaccess policy for UE 605 to adopt that also tells UE 605 whether topreferentially connect via either the cellular radio network or anon-cellular radio network. UE 605 may also determine or otherwiseidentify a slice treatment for each traffic descriptor, e.g., based atleast in part on the URSP access policy, traffic descriptor identifier,traffic descriptor type, etc. Accordingly, UE 605 may use the URSPaccess policy, the legacy slice treatment (from EPC 615), and/or theslice treatment (from 5GC 610), to determine whether to transfer theconnection for each traffic descriptor (e.g., application) from EPC 615via the EPDG gateway to 5GC 610 via the N3IWF gateway or to establish anupdated connection with 5GC 615 via the N3IWF. Accordingly, UE 605 canensure that each traffic descriptor is given the proper slice treatmentand/or connection preference when switching from an EPC 615 connectionto a 5GC 610 connection.

Accordingly, and at 635, UE 605 may be configured with the cellularnetwork's URSP policy. That is, UE 605 may receive, from the network viathe base station, an access policy (e.g., URSP) of the cellular radionetwork that identifies an access preference rule for UE 605 to adoptfor connections to a core network function (e.g., 5GC 610) of thecellular radio network. The URSP may indicate for UE 605 topreferentially connect to the core network function via a cellular radionetwork (e.g., prefer a 3GPP access network, such as a 5G NR SAnetwork). Accordingly, the URSP may be installed for UE 605. That is,the network may have downloaded the URSP policy to UE 605. At this pointand per the guiding standards, UE 605 is only supposed to refer to URSPfor its policies. One of the rules specified in URSP is for each DNN,whether the preferred access is 3GPP (e.g., cellular) or non-3GPP (e.g.,Wi-Fi). For example, a URSP rule may look like:

-   -   Traffic Descriptor: App-Id=APP1,APP2        -   RouteSelectionDescriptor: DNN=DNN1, Access-Preference=3GPP,            S-NSSAI=1            -   DNN=DNN1, Access-Preference=Non-3GPP, S-NSSAI=2                where S-NSSAI refers to the single—network slice                selection assistant. This rule may mean that both APP1                and APP2 are supposed to be cellular preferred when                there is a choice between cellular and Wi-Fi coverage.                This rule may also mean that UE 605 may request slice 1                as long as slice 1 is allowed by the network. If there                is no cellular network available, then both APP1 and                APP2 may be connected via a Wi-Fi network.

At 640, UE 605 may be located in a Wi-Fi coverage area only, e.g., thereis no 5G coverage areas available for which UE 605 may connect. However,at 645, first application 625 (e.g., APP1) may request a connection tomodem 630, which requests to establish a connection to EPC 615 via anEPDG legacy gateway and Wi-Fi AP. Since the EPDG legacy gateway belongsto EPC 615, there is no concept of slice treatment. However, for theguiding standards for 5GC 610, EPC 615 may inform UE 605 what S-NSSAI itshould store for this connection to EPC 615 via the EPDG legacy gatewayso that, if there is a handoff to 5GC 610, UE 605 should request thesame S-NSSAI that was signaled to it by EPC 615 via the EPDG legacygateway. In this example and at 650, EPC 615 assigned S-NSSAI2 to thisconnection, which may also be referred to as a legacy traffic descriptorand/or slice treatment for this connection.

Accordingly, and at 655, UE 605 may establish a connection to a legacycore network function of the legacy cellular radio network via a legacygateway. UE 605 may identify the legacy access policy (e.g., ANDSF) thatpreferentially instructs UE 605 to connect to the legacy core networkfunction via either a 3GPP connection or a non-3GPP connection.

At 660, UE 605 may enter an area with 5G coverage. For example, UE 605may connect to a 5G NR SA base station and establish a connection with5GC 610 via the base station. As the URSP access policy gives preferenceto a 3GPP access network for the DNN1 connection, at 665, this maytrigger a handover procedure for S-NSSAI2, which is granted by 5GC 610.Accordingly, and at 670, modem 630 of UE 605 may tear down theconnection for DNN1 with EPC 615.

At this point, first application 625 is connected to 5GC 610 using the5G NR SA cellular radio network. However, should second application 620ask modem 630 for a connection, UE 605 would refer to the URSP accesspolicy, which indicates that the first choice for the second application620 is S-NSSAI1. Accordingly, UE 605 would initiate NAS signaling torequest a connection for S-NSSAI1, which may be granted by the network(e.g., 5GC 610). Accordingly, UE 605 would establish a connection with5GC 610 for S-NSSAI1 for second application 620. Now, second application620 would be connected over the 5G cellular radio network to 5GC 610with slice one (S-NSSAI1) and first application 625 would be connectedover the 5G cellular radio network to 5GC 610 with slice two (S-NSSAI2)as a separate PDU session. Thus, even though the network operator may beintended to give both DNN1 and DNN2 the same slice treatment, thisapproach would not give the desired result.

Accordingly, at 675, aspects of the described techniques provide formodem 630 of UE 605 to reevaluate the URSP access policy previouslyprovided. That is, whenever there is a handoff from EPC 615 to 5GC 610,UE 605 may go beyond what the guiding standard states and, instead, maynot blindly specify the S-NSSAI that was received during EPDG signaling(e.g., the legacy slice treatment indication received from EPC 615 viathe EPDG legacy gateway). Instead, UE 605 may reevaluate the URSP accesspolicy to see whether the S-NSSAI received from EPDG is a valid routeselection descriptor (RSD) in URSP, even if it is the lower priority RSDand/or whether it is an allowed S-NSSAI. If not, UE 605 may tear downthe call and let the application retry (e.g., first application 625). Ifit is valid, UE 605 may continue using the current connection. Ifanother application under the same rule requests a call (e.g., toestablish a connection), UE 605 may latch that application to the samecall (e.g., connection).

In this example, the URSP reevaluation may indicate that S-NSSAI2 is nota valid route for first application 625. Accordingly, and at 685, modem630 of UE 605 may send an indication to the first application 625 thatthe network interface is down. At 690, first application 625 may send acall request to modem 630 of UE 605 requesting a new connection. At 695,modem 630 of UE 605 may set up a new connection with 5GC 610 for thefirst application 625. Accordingly, UE 605 may tear down the originalconnection for DNN1 on S-NSSAI2 for first application 625 and establishan updated connection on 5GC 610 for DNN1 on S-NSSAI1. This may resultin the desired slice treatment/route selection for each application.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a process 700 that supports methods tohandle slicing accounting for evolved packet data gateway Wi-Fi accessin accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. In some examples,process 700 may implement aspects of wireless communications systems 100and/or 200 and/or processes 300, 400, 500, and/or 600. Aspects ofprocess 700 may be implemented by UE 705, 5GC 710, and/or EPC 715, whichmay be examples of the corresponding devices described herein. It is tobe understood that UE 705 may be connected to 5GC 710 via a 5G NR SAbase station and/or via a Wi-Fi AP and N3IWF gateway when UE 705 isconnected to a non-3GPP access network, such as a Wi-Fi network.Similarly, UE 705 may be connected to EPC 715 via a Wi-Fi AP and an EPDGlegacy gateway when UE 705 is connected to a non-3GPP access network,such as a Wi-Fi network.

In some aspects, UE 705 may include a set of applications, with twoapplications being shown by way of example only. Generally, eachapplication may refer to any general traffic descriptor. Accordingly, UE705 may include a first application 725, a second application 720, and amodem 730, which may be examples of the corresponding devices describedherein. Modem 730 may monitor, control, or otherwise manage aspects ofcommunications between UE 705 and 5GC 710 and/or EPC 715 (e.g., via oneor more base stations, Wi-Fi APs, N3IWF gateways, EPDG legacy gateways,and the like).

As discussed above, aspects of the described techniques may support UE705 establishing a connection to an EPC 715 legacy core network functionof a 4G/5G NR NSA legacy cellular radio network via the EPDG legacygateway. UE 705 may be configured with a set of traffic descriptors(e.g., UE 705 may have different applications operating on UE 705, suchas first application 725 and/or second application 720). For eachtraffic descriptors (e.g., each application), UE 705 may identify theANDSF legacy access policy that gives preference to UE 705 to connectvia either a cellular radio network (e.g., 3GPP cellular radio network)or a non-cellular radio network (e.g., a non-3GPP radio network), suchas a routing selection preference. UE 705 may also identify or otherwisedetermine a legacy slice treatment associated with each trafficdescriptors, e.g., based at least in part on the connection to EPC 715via the EPDG. UE 705 may establish a connection to a 5GC 710 corenetwork function of a 5G NR SA cellular radio network via an N3IWFgateway. Accordingly, UE 705 may receive or otherwise identify a URSPaccess policy for UE 705 to adopt that also tells UE 705 whether topreferentially connect via either the cellular radio network or anon-cellular radio network. UE 705 may also determine or otherwiseidentify a slice treatment for each traffic descriptor, e.g., based atleast in part on the URSP access policy, traffic descriptor identifier,traffic descriptor type, etc. Accordingly, UE 705 may use the URSPaccess policy, the legacy slice treatment (from EPC 715), and/or theslice treatment (from 5GC 710), to determine whether to transfer theconnection for each traffic descriptor (e.g., application) from EPC 715via the EPDG gateway to 5GC 710 or to establish an updated connectionwith 5GC 715. Accordingly, UE 705 can ensure that each trafficdescriptor is given the proper slice treatment and/or connectionpreference when switching from an EPC 715 connection to a 5GC 710connection.

Accordingly, and at 735, UE 705 may be configured with the cellularnetwork's URSP policy. That is, UE 705 may receive, from the network viathe base station, an access policy (e.g., URSP) of the cellular radionetwork that identifies an access preference rule for UE 705 to adoptfor connections to a core network function (e.g., 5GC 710) of thecellular radio network. The URSP may indicate for UE 705 topreferentially connect to the core network function via a cellular radionetwork (e.g., prefer a 3GPP access network, such as a 5G NR SAnetwork). Accordingly, the URSP may be installed for UE 705. That is,the network may have downloaded the URSP policy to UE 705. At this pointand per the guiding standards, UE 705 is only supposed to refer to URSPfor its policies. One of the rules specified in URSP is for each DNN,whether the preferred access is 3GPP (e.g., cellular) or non-3GPP (e.g.,Wi-Fi). For example, a URSP rule may look like:

-   -   Traffic Descriptor: App-Id=APP1        -   RouteSelectionDescriptor: DNN=DNN1, Access-Preference=3GPP,            S-NSSAI=1            -   DNN=DNN1, Access-Preference=Non-3GPP, S-NSSAI=2            -   App-Id=App2        -   RouteSelectionDescriptor: DNN=DNN1,            Access-Preference=Non-3GPP, S-NS SAI=1            -   DNN=DNN1, Access-Preference=3GPP, S-NSSAI=2

This rule may mean that, both APP1 and APP2 are supposed to be onS-NSSAI1, but first application 725 prefers is cellular preferred andsecond application 720 is Wi-Fi preferred. That is, the two applicationor traffic descriptor operating on UE 705 may ask for the same slicetreatment, but have different route selection descriptors.

At 740, UE 705 may be located in a Wi-Fi coverage area only, e.g., thereis no 5G coverage areas available for UE 705 to connect to. However, at745, first application 725 (e.g., APP1) may request a connection tomodem 730, which requests to establish a connection to EPC 715 via anEPDG legacy gateway and Wi-Fi AP. Since the EPDG legacy gateway belongsto EPC 715, there is no concept of slice treatment. However, for theguiding standards for 5GC 710, EPC 715 may inform UE 705 what S-NSSAI itshould store for this connection to EPC 715 via the EPDG legacy gatewayso that, if there is a handoff to 5GC 710, UE 705 should request thesame S-NSSAI that was signaled to it by EPC 715 via the EPDG legacygateway. In this example and at 750, EPC 715 assigned S-NSSAI1 to thisconnection, which may also be referred to as a legacy traffic descriptorand/or slice treatment for this connection.

Accordingly, and at 755, UE 705 may have established a connection to alegacy core network function of the legacy cellular radio network via alegacy gateway. UE 705 may identify the legacy access policy (e.g.,ANDSF) that preferentially instructs UE 705 to connect to the legacycore network function via either a 3GPP connection or a non-3GPPconnection.

At 760, UE 705 may enter an area with 5G coverage. For example, UE 705may connect to a 5G NR SA base station and establish a connection with5GC 710 via the base station. As the URSP access policy gives preferenceto a 3GPP access network for the DNN1 connection for first application725, at 765 this may trigger a handover procedure for S-NSSAI1, which isgranted by 5GC 710. Accordingly and at 770, modem 730 of UE 705 may teardown the connection for DNN1 with EPC 715.

At this point, first application 725 is connected to 5GC 710 using the5G NR SA cellular radio network for connection DNN1 and given S-NSSAI1.However, should second application 720 ask modem 730 for a connection,UE 705 would refer to the URSP access policy, which indicates that thefirst choice for second application 720 is S-NSSAI1 on a Wi-Fi network.Accordingly, UE 705 would initiate a request for a connection onS-NSSAI2. However, the network may reject this connection requestbecause the same DNN1 with slice S-NSSAI1 is already established on 5GC710 (e.g., by first application 725). Thus, this may prevent UE 705 fromestablishing a connection for second application 720.

Accordingly, at 775, aspects of the described techniques provide formodem 730 of UE 705 to reevaluate the URSP access policy previouslyprovided. That is, whenever there is a handoff from EPC 715 to 5GC 710,UE 705 may go beyond what the guiding standard states and, instead, maynot blindly specify the S-NSSAI that was received during EPDG signaling(e.g., the legacy slice treatment indication received from EPC 715 viathe EPDG legacy gateway). Instead, UE 705 may reevaluate the URSP accesspolicy to see whether the S-NSSAI received from EPDG is a valid RSD inURSP, even if it is the lower priority RSD and/or whether it is anallowed S-NSSAI. If not, UE 705 may tear down the call and let theapplication retry. If it is valid, UE 705 may continue using the currentconnection. If another application under the same rule requests a call(e.g., to establish a connection), UE 705 may latch that application tothe same call (e.g., connection).

In this example, the URSP reevaluation may indicate that S-NSSAI1 is avalid route for first application 725. Accordingly and at 785, modem 730of UE 705 may maintain the connection on 5GC 710 for first application725 on DNN1 and given slice S-NSSAI1. At 790, second application 720 maysend a call request to modem 730 of UE 705 requesting a new connection.At 795, since the requested slice treatment of S-NSSAI1 is alreadyestablished on DNN1 for first application 725, modem 730 of UE 705 maylatch second application 720 to the connection with 5GC 710 for firstapplication 725. Accordingly, UE 705 may maintain the originalconnection for DNN1 on S-NSSAI1 for first application 725 and latch theconnection on 5GC 710 for DNN1 on S-NSSAI1 for second application 720.This may result in the desired slice treatment/route selection for eachapplication.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example of a process 800 that supports methods tohandle slicing accounting for evolved packet data gateway Wi-Fi accessin accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. In some examples,process 800 may implement aspects of wireless communications systems 100and/or 200 and/or processes 300, 400, 500, 600, and/or 700. Aspects ofprocess 800 may be implemented by UE 805, 5GC 810, and/or EPC 815, whichmay be examples of the corresponding devices described herein. It is tobe understood that UE 805 may be connected to 5GC 810 via a 5G NR SAbase station and/or via a Wi-Fi AP and N3IWF gateway when UE 805 isconnected to a non-3GPP access network, such as a Wi-Fi network.Similarly, UE 805 may be connected to EPC 815 via a Wi-Fi AP and an EPDGlegacy gateway when UE 805 is connected to a non-3GPP access network,such as a Wi-Fi network.

In some aspects, UE 805 may include a set of applications, with twoapplications being shown by way of example only. Generally, eachapplication may refer to any general traffic descriptor. Accordingly, UE805 may include a first application 825, a second application 820, and amodem 830, which may be examples of the corresponding devices describedherein. Modem 830 may monitor, control, or otherwise manage aspects ofcommunications between UE 805 and 5GC 810 and/or EPC 815 (e.g., via oneor more base stations, Wi-Fi APs, N3IWF gateways, EPDG legacy gateways,and the like).

As discussed above, aspects of the described techniques may support UE805 establishing a connection to an EPC 815 legacy core network functionof a 4G/5G NR NSA legacy cellular radio network via the EPDG legacygateway. UE 805 may be configured with a set of traffic descriptors(e.g., UE 805 may have different applications operating on UE 805, suchas first application 825 and/or second application 820). For eachtraffic descriptor (e.g., each application), UE 805 may identify theANDSF legacy access policy that gives preference to UE 805 to connectvia either a cellular radio network (e.g., 3GPP cellular radio network)or a non-cellular radio network (e.g., a non-3GPP radio network), suchas a routing selection preference. UE 805 may also identify or otherwisedetermine a legacy slice treatment associated with each trafficdescriptor, e.g., based at least in part on the connection to EPC 815via the EPDG. UE 805 may establish a connection to a 5GC 810 corenetwork function of a 5G NR SA cellular radio network via an N3IWFgateway. Accordingly, UE 805 may receive or otherwise identify a URSPaccess policy for UE 805 to adopt that also tells UE 805 whether topreferentially connect via either the cellular radio network or anon-cellular radio network. UE 805 may also determine or otherwiseidentify a slice treatment for each traffic descriptor, e.g., based atleast in part on the URSP access policy, traffic descriptor identifier,traffic descriptor type, etc. Accordingly, UE 805 may use the URSPaccess policy, the legacy slice treatment (from EPC 815), and/or theslice treatment (from 5GC 810), to determine whether to transfer theconnection for each traffic descriptor (e.g., application) from EPC 815via the EPDG gateway to 5GC 810 or to establish an updated connectionwith 5GC 815. Accordingly, UE 805 can ensure that each trafficdescriptor is given the proper slice treatment and/or connectionpreference when switching from an EPC 815 connection to a 5GC 810connection.

Process 800 illustrates an example where two application are supposed tohave different slice treatments, but are both non-3GPP access policypreferred. The later coming application (e.g., the last application tosend a call request) may not be able to get service because the firstapplication may have already established a connection using the sameDNN, but with a different slice treatment under EPDG. Or, on 5GC 810,the application is supposed to get a different slice treatment but endsup getting the same slice treatment.

Accordingly, and at 835, UE 805 may be configured with the cellularnetwork's URSP policy. That is, UE 805 may receive, from the network viathe base station, an access policy (e.g., URSP) of the cellular radionetwork that identifies an access preference rule for UE 805 to adoptfor connections to a core network function (e.g., 5GC 810) of thecellular radio network. The URSP may indicate for UE 805 topreferentially connect to the core network function via a cellular radionetwork (e.g., prefer a 3GPP access network, such as a 5G NR SAnetwork). Accordingly, the URSP may be installed for UE 805. That is,the network may have downloaded the URSP policy to UE 805. At this pointand per the guiding standards, UE 805 is only supposed to refer to URSPfor its policies. One of the rules specified in URSP is for each DNN,whether the preferred access is 3GPP (e.g., cellular) or non-3GPP (e.g.,Wi-Fi). For example, a URSP rule may look like:

-   -   Traffic Descriptor: App-Id=APP1        -   RouteSelectionDescriptor: DNN=DNN1,            Access-Preference=Non-3GPP, S-NSSAI=1            -   DNN=DNN1, Access-Preference=3GPP, S-NSSAI=1            -   App-Id=App2        -   RouteSelectionDescriptor: DNN=DNN1,            Access-Preference=Non-3GPP, S-NSSAI=2            -   DNN=DNN1, Access-Preference=3GPP, S-NSSAI=2

This rule may mean that APP1 is supposed to be EPDG preferred when thereis a choice between cellular and Wi-Fi network and UE 805 should requestslice 1 (e.g., S-NSSAI1) in case of a 5G call. While, for APP2, itprefers EPDG as well, but should use slice S-NSSAI2 in the case of a 5Gcall. That is, the two applications or traffic descriptors operating onUE 805 may ask for different slice treatments, but have the same routeselection descriptors.

At 840, UE 805 may be located in both Wi-Fi and 5G coverage. At 845,first application 825 (e.g., APP1) may request a connection to modem830, which requests to establish a connection to EPC 815 via an EPDGlegacy gateway and Wi-Fi AP. Since the EPDG legacy gateway belongs toEPC 815, there is no concept of slice treatment. However, for theguiding standards for 5GC 810, EPC 815 may inform UE 805 what S-NSSAI itshould store for this connection to EPC 815 via the EPDG legacy gatewayso that, if there is a handoff to 5GC 810, UE 805 should request thesame S-NSSAI that was signaled to it by EPC 815 via the EPDG legacygateway. In this example and at 850, EPC 815 assigned 5-NSSAI1 to thisconnection, which may also be referred to as a legacy traffic descriptorand/or slice treatment for this connection.

Accordingly, and at 855, UE 805 may have established a connection to alegacy core network function of the legacy cellular radio network via alegacy gateway. UE 805 may identify the legacy access policy (e.g.,ANDSF) that preferentially instructs UE 805 to connect to the legacycore network function via either a 3GPP connection or a non-3GPPconnection.

However, at 860, second application 820 may send a call request for adata connection. However, this may give rise to at least two issues. Inone issue, UE 805 would establish a PDN connection for secondapplication 820 on DNN1 with EPC 815 via the EPDG legacy gateway.However, the network would reject this connection request since DNN1 isalready established. In another issue, UE 805 may decide to latch secondapplication 820 onto the DNN1 PDN on S-NSSAI1. However, this approachwould end up with both first application 825 and second application 820being on DNN1 on S-NSSAI1. Second application 820, however, should useS-NSSAI2 per the URSP access policy.

Therefore, and at 865, UE 805 may determine whether the DNN1 connectionis already established. That is, even though EPDG is preferred forsecond application 820, but since there is already a PDN connection upfor the same DNN with a different slice, UE 805 may pick RSD2 (e.g., theroute selection policy #2 in the URSP for APP2) in this example forsecond application 820. Accordingly, and at 870, UE 805 may establish aconnection with 5GC 810 for second application 820 with slice S-NSSAI2.That is, UE 805 may skip RSD1 (e.g., the non-3GPP connection preferredfor APP2 per the URSP) since there is already a PDN connectionestablished for DNN1 (e.g., the same DNN) with a different slice forfirst application 825. Instead, UE 805 may use RSD2 (e.g., the 3GPPconnection preferred for APP2 per the URSP) to establish the PDNconnection for second application 820 with 5GC 810.

Accordingly, and at 875, UE 805 may operate with a PDN connectionestablished for second application 820 on DNN1 on 5GC 810 using sliceS-NSSAI2 cached in the PDN context. This may allow UE 805 to follow theappropriate slice treatment and route selection preference for bothapplications.

FIG. 9 shows a block diagram 900 of a device 905 that supports methodsto handle slicing accounting for evolved packet data gateway Wi-Fiaccess in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The device905 may be an example of aspects of a UE 115 as described herein. Thedevice 905 may include a receiver 910, a communications manager 915, anda transmitter 920. The device 905 may also include a processor. Each ofthese components may be in communication with one another (e.g., via oneor more buses).

The receiver 910 may receive information such as packets, user data, orcontrol information associated with various information channels (e.g.,control channels, data channels, and information related to methods tohandle slicing accounting for evolved packet data gateway Wi-Fi access,etc.). Information may be passed on to other components of the device905. The receiver 910 may be an example of aspects of the transceiver1220 described with reference to FIG. 12 . The receiver 910 may utilizea single antenna or a set of antennas.

The communications manager 915 may establish a cellular connection witha base station associated with a cellular radio network, establish,based at least in part on the access preference rule, the gateway notbeing configured, and the gateway selection policy not being configured,a connection to a legacy core network function of a legacy cellularradio network via a legacy gateway between the non-cellular radionetwork and the legacy core network function of the legacy cellularradio network, receive an access policy of the cellular radio networkidentifying an access preference rule for the UE to adopt forconnections to a core network function of the cellular radio network,the access preference rule indicating for the UE to preferentiallyconnect to the core network function via a non-cellular radio network,determine that a gateway between the non-cellular radio network and thecore network function of the cellular radio network is not configured,and determine that a gateway selection policy of the cellular radionetwork is not configured.

The communications manager 915 may also establish a cellular connectionwith a base station associated with a cellular radio network, determinethat the non-cellular radio network is available and that the cellularradio network has become unavailable, establish, via the non-cellularradio network, a connection to a legacy core network function of alegacy cellular radio network via a legacy gateway between the legacycore network function and the non-cellular radio network, determine thatthe cellular radio network has become available to establish a newconnection, establish, based at least on the access preference rule, thenew connection to the cellular radio network, receive an access policyof the cellular radio network identifying an access preference rule forthe UE to adopt for connections to a core network function of thecellular radio network, the access preference rule indicating for the UEto preferentially connect to the core network function via the cellularradio network via a gateway between the cellular radio network and thecore network function, identify a legacy access policy of the legacycellular radio network identifying a legacy access preference rule forthe UE to adopt for connections to the legacy core network function, thelegacy access preference rule indicating for the UE to preferentiallyconnect to the legacy core network function via the non-cellular radionetwork, determine that the gateway is not configured, and determinethat a gateway selection policy of the cellular radio network is notconfigured.

The communications manager 915 may also establish a cellular connectionwith a base station associated with a cellular radio network, determinethat the non-cellular radio network is available and that a gatewaybetween the non-cellular radio network and the core network function ofthe cellular radio network is not configured, establish a connection toa legacy core network function of a legacy cellular radio network via alegacy gateway between the legacy core network function and thenon-cellular radio network, maintain, based at least in part on theaccess preference rule, the connection to the legacy core networkfunction of the legacy radio network via the legacy gateway, receive anaccess policy of the cellular radio network identifying an accesspreference rule for the UE to adopt for connections to a core networkfunction of the cellular radio network, the access preference ruleindicating for the UE to preferentially connect to the core networkfunction via a non-cellular radio network, identify a legacy accesspolicy of the legacy cellular radio network identifying a legacy accesspreference rule for the UE to adopt for connections to the legacy corenetwork function, the legacy access preference rule indicating for theUE to preferentially connect to the legacy core network function via thelegacy cellular radio network, and determine that a gateway selectionpolicy of the cellular radio network is not configured.

The communications manager 915 may also establish a connection to alegacy core network function of a legacy cellular radio network via alegacy gateway between the legacy cellular radio network and anon-cellular radio network, establish a connection to a core networkfunction of a cellular radio network via a gateway between the cellularradio network and the non-cellular radio network, identify, for eachtraffic descriptor in the set of traffic descriptors, a legacy accesspolicy of the legacy cellular radio network identifying a legacy accesspreference rule for the UE to adopt for connections to the legacy corenetwork function, each legacy access preference rule indicating for theUE to preferentially connect to the legacy core network function via thelegacy cellular radio network or a non-cellular radio network for thetraffic descriptor and a legacy slice treatment for the trafficdescriptor, determine, for each traffic descriptor and based at least inpart on the legacy slice treatment and the slice treatment and based atleast in part on the access policy, to transfer the connectionassociated with the traffic descriptor to the core network function orto establish an updated connection for the traffic descriptor with thecore network function, and identify, for each traffic descriptor in theset of traffic descriptors, an access policy of the cellular radionetwork identifying an access preference rule for the UE to adopt forconnections to the core network function of the cellular radio network,each access preference rule indicating for the UE to preferentiallyconnect to the core network function via the cellular radio network orthe non-cellular radio network for the traffic descriptor and a slicetreatment for the traffic descriptor. The communications manager 915 maybe an example of aspects of the communications manager 1210 describedherein.

The communications manager 915, or its sub-components, may beimplemented in hardware, code (e.g., software or firmware) executed by aprocessor, or any combination thereof. If implemented in code executedby a processor, the functions of the communications manager 915, or itssub-components may be executed by a general-purpose processor, a digitalsignal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit(ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmablelogic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardwarecomponents, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functionsdescribed in the present disclosure.

The communications manager 915, or its sub-components, may be physicallylocated at various positions, including being distributed such thatportions of functions are implemented at different physical locations byone or more physical components. In some examples, the communicationsmanager 915, or its sub-components, may be a separate and distinctcomponent in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure.In some examples, the communications manager 915, or its sub-components,may be combined with one or more other hardware components, includingbut not limited to an input/output (I/O) component, a transceiver, anetwork server, another computing device, one or more other componentsdescribed in the present disclosure, or a combination thereof inaccordance with various aspects of the present disclosure.

The transmitter 920 may transmit signals generated by other componentsof the device 905. In some examples, the transmitter 920 may becollocated with a receiver 910 in a transceiver module. For example, thetransmitter 920 may be an example of aspects of the transceiver 1220described with reference to FIG. 12 . The transmitter 920 may utilize asingle antenna or a set of antennas.

FIG. 10 shows a block diagram 1000 of a device 1005 that supportsmethods to handle slicing accounting for evolved packet data gatewayWi-Fi access in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. Thedevice 1005 may be an example of aspects of a device 905, or a UE 115 asdescribed herein. The device 1005 may include a receiver 1010, acommunications manager 1015, and a transmitter 1045. The device 1005 mayalso include a processor. Each of these components may be incommunication with one another (e.g., via one or more buses).

The receiver 1010 may receive information such as packets, user data, orcontrol information associated with various information channels (e.g.,control channels, data channels, and information related to methods tohandle slicing accounting for evolved packet data gateway Wi-Fi access,etc.). Information may be passed on to other components of the device1005. The receiver 1010 may be an example of aspects of the transceiver1220 described with reference to FIG. 12 . The receiver 1010 may utilizea single antenna or a set of antennas.

The communications manager 1015 may be an example of aspects of thecommunications manager 915 as described herein. The communicationsmanager 1015 may include a connection manager 1020, an access policymanager 1025, a gateway manager 1030, a gateway selection policy manager1035, and a traffic descriptor manager 1040. The communications manager1015 may be an example of aspects of the communications manager 1210described herein.

The connection manager 1020 may establish a cellular connection with abase station associated with a cellular radio network and establish,based at least in part on the access preference rule, the gateway notbeing configured, and the gateway selection policy not being configured,a connection to a legacy core network function of a legacy cellularradio network via a legacy gateway between the non-cellular radionetwork and the legacy core network function of the legacy cellularradio network.

The access policy manager 1025 may receive an access policy of thecellular radio network identifying an access preference rule for the UEto adopt for connections to a core network function of the cellularradio network, the access preference rule indicating for the UE topreferentially connect to the core network function via a non-cellularradio network.

The gateway manager 1030 may determine that a gateway between thenon-cellular radio network and the core network function of the cellularradio network is not configured.

The gateway selection policy manager 1035 may determine that a gatewayselection policy of the cellular radio network is not configured.

The connection manager 1020 may establish a cellular connection with abase station associated with a cellular radio network, determine thatthe non-cellular radio network is available and that the cellular radionetwork has become unavailable, establish, via the non-cellular radionetwork, a connection to a legacy core network function of a legacycellular radio network via a legacy gateway between the legacy corenetwork function and the non-cellular radio network, determine that thecellular radio network has become available to establish a newconnection, and establish, based at least on the access preference rule,the new connection to the cellular radio network.

The access policy manager 1025 may receive an access policy of thecellular radio network identifying an access preference rule for the UEto adopt for connections to a core network function of the cellularradio network, the access preference rule indicating for the UE topreferentially connect to the core network function via the cellularradio network via a gateway between the cellular radio network and thecore network function and identify a legacy access policy of the legacycellular radio network identifying a legacy access preference rule forthe UE to adopt for connections to the legacy core network function, thelegacy access preference rule indicating for the UE to preferentiallyconnect to the legacy core network function via the non-cellular radionetwork.

The gateway manager 1030 may determine that the gateway is notconfigured.

The gateway selection policy manager 1035 may determine that a gatewayselection policy of the cellular radio network is not configured.

The connection manager 1020 may also establish a cellular connectionwith a base station associated with a cellular radio network, determinethat the non-cellular radio network is available and that a gatewaybetween the non-cellular radio network and the core network function ofthe cellular radio network is not configured, establish a connection toa legacy core network function of a legacy cellular radio network via alegacy gateway between the legacy core network function and thenon-cellular radio network, and maintain, based at least in part on theaccess preference rule, the connection to the legacy core networkfunction of the legacy radio network via the legacy gateway.

The access policy manager 1025 may also receive an access policy of thecellular radio network identifying an access preference rule for the UEto adopt for connections to a core network function of the cellularradio network, the access preference rule indicating for the UE topreferentially connect to the core network function via a non-cellularradio network and identify a legacy access policy of the legacy cellularradio network identifying a legacy access preference rule for the UE toadopt for connections to the legacy core network function, the legacyaccess preference rule indicating for the UE to preferentially connectto the legacy core network function via the legacy cellular radionetwork.

The gateway selection policy manager 1035 may determine that a gatewayselection policy of the cellular radio network is not configured.

The connection manager 1020 may establish a connection to a legacy corenetwork function of a legacy cellular radio network via a legacy gatewaybetween the legacy cellular radio network and a non-cellular radionetwork and establish a connection to a core network function of acellular radio network via a gateway between the cellular radio networkand the non-cellular radio network.

The traffic descriptor manager 1040 may identify, for each trafficdescriptor in the set of traffic descriptors, a legacy access policy ofthe legacy cellular radio network identifying a legacy access preferencerule for the UE to adopt for connections to the legacy core networkfunction, each legacy access preference rule indicating for the UE topreferentially connect to the legacy core network function via thelegacy cellular radio network or a non-cellular radio network for thetraffic descriptor and a legacy slice treatment for the trafficdescriptor and determine, for each traffic descriptor and based at leastin part on the legacy slice treatment and the slice treatment and basedat least in part on the access policy, to transfer the connectionassociated with the traffic descriptor to the core network function orto establish an updated connection for the traffic descriptor with thecore network function.

The access policy manager 1025 may identify, for each traffic descriptorin the set of traffic descriptors, an access policy of the cellularradio network identifying an access preference rule for the UE to adoptfor connections to the core network function of the cellular radionetwork, each access preference rule indicating for the UE topreferentially connect to the core network function via the cellularradio network or the non-cellular radio network for the trafficdescriptor and a slice treatment for the traffic descriptor.

The transmitter 1045 may transmit signals generated by other componentsof the device 1005. In some examples, the transmitter 1045 may becollocated with a receiver 1010 in a transceiver module. For example,the transmitter 1045 may be an example of aspects of the transceiver1220 described with reference to FIG. 12 . The transmitter 1045 mayutilize a single antenna or a set of antennas.

FIG. 11 shows a block diagram 1100 of a communications manager 1105 thatsupports methods to handle slicing accounting for evolved packet datagateway Wi-Fi access in accordance with aspects of the presentdisclosure. The communications manager 1105 may be an example of aspectsof a communications manager 915, a communications manager 1015, or acommunications manager 1210 described herein. The communications manager1105 may include a connection manager 1110, an access policy manager1115, a gateway manager 1120, a gateway selection policy manager 1125, aconnection configuration manager 1130, a N3IWF manager 1135, a trafficdescriptor manager 1140, and a slice treatment manager 1145. Each ofthese modules may communicate, directly or indirectly, with one another(e.g., via one or more buses).

The connection manager 1110 may establish a cellular connection with abase station associated with a cellular radio network. In some examples,the connection manager 1110 may establish, based at least in part on theaccess preference rule, the gateway not being configured, and thegateway selection policy not being configured, a connection to a legacycore network function of a legacy cellular radio network via a legacygateway between the non-cellular radio network and the legacy corenetwork function of the legacy cellular radio network.

In some examples, the connection manager 1110 may determine that thenon-cellular radio network is available and that the cellular radionetwork has become unavailable. In some examples, the connection manager1110 may establish, via the non-cellular radio network, a connection toa legacy core network function of a legacy cellular radio network via alegacy gateway between the legacy core network function and thenon-cellular radio network. In some examples, the connection manager1110 may determine that the cellular radio network has become availableto establish a new connection. In some examples, the connection manager1110 may establish, based at least on the access preference rule, thenew connection to the cellular radio network.

In some examples, the connection manager 1110 may determine that thenon-cellular radio network is available and that a gateway between thenon-cellular radio network and the core network function of the cellularradio network is not configured. In some examples, the connectionmanager 1110 may establish a connection to a legacy core networkfunction of a legacy cellular radio network via a legacy gateway betweenthe legacy core network function and the non-cellular radio network.

In some examples, the connection manager 1110 may maintain, based atleast in part on the access preference rule, the connection to thelegacy core network function of the legacy radio network via the legacygateway. In some examples, the connection manager 1110 may establish aconnection to a core network function of a cellular radio network via agateway between the cellular radio network and the non-cellular radionetwork.

In some cases, the cellular radio network includes a 5G NR SA cellularradio network. In some cases, the legacy cellular radio network includesat least one of a 4G LTE cellular radio network or a 5G NR NSA cellularradio network. In some cases, the access policy includes a URSP. In somecases, the gateway selection policy includes an ANDSP. In some cases,the gateway includes a N3IWF between the core network function of the 5GNR SA cellular radio network and the non-cellular radio network. In somecases, the legacy gateway includes an EPDG between an EPC core networkfunction of the 4G LTE cellular radio network or the 5G NR NSA cellularradio network and the non-cellular radio network. In some cases, thelegacy access policy includes an ANDSF. In some cases, the core networkfunction includes a 5GC.

The access policy manager 1115 may receive an access policy of thecellular radio network identifying an access preference rule for the UEto adopt for connections to a core network function of the cellularradio network, the access preference rule indicating for the UE topreferentially connect to the core network function via a non-cellularradio network.

In some examples, the access policy manager 1115 may receive an accesspolicy of the cellular radio network identifying an access preferencerule for the UE to adopt for connections to a core network function ofthe cellular radio network, the access preference rule indicating forthe UE to preferentially connect to the core network function via thecellular radio network via a gateway between the cellular radio networkand the core network function.

In some examples, the access policy manager 1115 may identify a legacyaccess policy of the legacy cellular radio network identifying a legacyaccess preference rule for the UE to adopt for connections to the legacycore network function, the legacy access preference rule indicating forthe UE to preferentially connect to the legacy core network function viathe non-cellular radio network.

In some examples, the access policy manager 1115 may receive an accesspolicy of the cellular radio network identifying an access preferencerule for the UE to adopt for connections to a core network function ofthe cellular radio network, the access preference rule indicating forthe UE to preferentially connect to the core network function via anon-cellular radio network.

In some examples, the access policy manager 1115 may identify a legacyaccess policy of the legacy cellular radio network identifying a legacyaccess preference rule for the UE to adopt for connections to the legacycore network function, the legacy access preference rule indicating forthe UE to preferentially connect to the legacy core network function viathe legacy cellular radio network.

In some examples, the access policy manager 1115 may identify, for eachtraffic descriptor in the set of traffic descriptors, an access policyof the cellular radio network identifying an access preference rule forthe UE to adopt for connections to the core network function of thecellular radio network, each access preference rule indicating for theUE to preferentially connect to the core network function via thecellular radio network or the non-cellular radio network for the trafficdescriptor and a slice treatment for the traffic descriptor.

The gateway manager 1120 may determine that a gateway between thenon-cellular radio network and the core network function of the cellularradio network is not configured. In some examples, the gateway manager1120 may determine that the gateway is not configured.

The gateway selection policy manager 1125 may determine that a gatewayselection policy of the cellular radio network is not configured. Insome examples, the gateway selection policy manager 1125 may determinethat a gateway selection policy of the cellular radio network is notconfigured. In some examples, the gateway selection policy manager 1125may determine that a gateway selection policy of the cellular radionetwork is not configured.

The traffic descriptor manager 1140 may identify, for each trafficdescriptor in the set of traffic descriptors, a legacy access policy ofthe legacy cellular radio network identifying a legacy access preferencerule for the UE to adopt for connections to the legacy core networkfunction, each legacy access preference rule indicating for the UE topreferentially connect to the legacy core network function via thelegacy cellular radio network or a non-cellular radio network for thetraffic descriptor and a legacy slice treatment for the trafficdescriptor. In some examples, the traffic descriptor manager 1140 maydetermine, for each traffic descriptor and based at least in part on thelegacy slice treatment and the slice treatment and based at least inpart on the access policy, to transfer the connection associated withthe traffic descriptor to the core network function or to establish anupdated connection for the traffic descriptor with the core networkfunction.

The connection configuration manager 1130 may receive a configurationfor connections via the non-cellular radio network, the configurationconfiguring the UE to connect to the legacy core network function or toconnect to the core network function via the non-cellular radio network.In some examples, the connection configuration manager 1130 may receivea configuration for connections via the non-cellular radio network, theconfiguration configuring the UE to attempt to connect to the corenetwork function and, if the attempt to connect to the core networkfunction is unsuccessful, to connect to the legacy core network functionvia the non-cellular radio network.

In some examples, the connection configuration manager 1130 may receivea configuration for connections via the non-cellular radio network, theconfiguration configuring the UE to connect to the legacy core networkfunction or to connect to the core network function via the non-cellularradio network. In some examples, the connection configuration manager1130 may receive a configuration for connections via the non-cellularradio network, the configuration configuring the UE to attempt toconnect to the core network function and, if the attempt to connect tothe core network function is unsuccessful, to connect to the legacy corenetwork function via the non-cellular radio network.

In some examples, the connection configuration manager 1130 may receivea configuration for connections via the non-cellular radio network, theconfiguration configuring the UE to connect to the legacy core networkfunction or to connect to the core network function via the non-cellularradio network. In some examples, the connection configuration manager1130 may receive a configuration for connections via the non-cellularradio network, the configuration configuring the UE to attempt toconnect to the core network function and, if the attempt to connect tothe core network function is unsuccessful, to connect to the legacy corenetwork function via the non-cellular radio network.

The N3IWF manager 1135 may determine, based at least in part on the newconnection, that the gateway of the cellular radio network isconfigured. In some examples, the N3IWF manager 1135 may transfer, basedat least in part on the access policy, the connection to the legacy corenetwork function of the legacy cellular radio network via the legacygateway to the core network function of the cellular radio network viathe gateway.

The slice treatment manager 1145 may determine, for at least two trafficdescriptors in the set of traffic descriptors, that the legacy trafficdescriptor and the traffic descriptor are a same traffic descriptor. Insome examples, the slice treatment manager 1145 may transfer theconnections for the at least two traffic descriptors to the core networkfunction. In some examples, the slice treatment manager 1145 maydetermine, for at least two traffic descriptors in the set of trafficdescriptors, that the legacy traffic descriptor and the trafficdescriptor are different traffic descriptors. In some examples, theslice treatment manager 1145 may update the connection for at least oneof the two traffic descriptors with the core network function. In someexamples, the slice treatment manager 1145 may determine, for at leasttwo traffic descriptors in the set of traffic descriptors that areassociated with a same traffic descriptor, that the legacy access policyand the access policy are a same access policy. In some examples, theslice treatment manager 1145 may determine, for at least two trafficdescriptors in the set of traffic descriptors that are associated with asame traffic descriptor, that the legacy access policy and the accesspolicy are a different access policy.

FIG. 12 shows a diagram of a system 1200 including a device 1205 thatsupports methods to handle slicing accounting for evolved packet datagateway Wi-Fi access in accordance with aspects of the presentdisclosure. The device 1205 may be an example of or include thecomponents of device 905, device 1005, or a UE 115 as described herein.The device 1205 may include components for bi-directional voice and datacommunications including components for transmitting and receivingcommunications, including a communications manager 1210, an I/Ocontroller 1215, a transceiver 1220, an antenna 1225, memory 1230, and aprocessor 1240. These components may be in electronic communication viaone or more buses (e.g., bus 1245).

The communications manager 1210 may establish a cellular connection witha base station associated with a cellular radio network, establish,based at least in part on the access preference rule, the gateway notbeing configured, and the gateway selection policy not being configured,a connection to a legacy core network function of a legacy cellularradio network via a legacy gateway between the non-cellular radionetwork and the legacy core network function of the legacy cellularradio network, receive an access policy of the cellular radio networkidentifying an access preference rule for the UE to adopt forconnections to a core network function of the cellular radio network,the access preference rule indicating for the UE to preferentiallyconnect to the core network function via a non-cellular radio network,determine that a gateway between the non-cellular radio network and thecore network function of the cellular radio network is not configured,and determine that a gateway selection policy of the cellular radionetwork is not configured.

The communications manager 1210 may also establish a cellular connectionwith a base station associated with a cellular radio network, determinethat the non-cellular radio network is available and that the cellularradio network has become unavailable, establish, via the non-cellularradio network, a connection to a legacy core network function of alegacy cellular radio network via a legacy gateway between the legacycore network function and the non-cellular radio network, determine thatthe cellular radio network has become available to establish a newconnection, establish, based at least on the access preference rule, thenew connection to the cellular radio network, receive an access policyof the cellular radio network identifying an access preference rule forthe UE to adopt for connections to a core network function of thecellular radio network, the access preference rule indicating for the UEto preferentially connect to the core network function via the cellularradio network via a gateway between the cellular radio network and thecore network function, identify a legacy access policy of the legacycellular radio network identifying a legacy access preference rule forthe UE to adopt for connections to the legacy core network function, thelegacy access preference rule indicating for the UE to preferentiallyconnect to the legacy core network function via the non-cellular radionetwork, determine that the gateway is not configured, and determinethat a gateway selection policy of the cellular radio network is notconfigured.

The communications manager 1210 may also establish a cellular connectionwith a base station associated with a cellular radio network, determinethat the non-cellular radio network is available and that a gatewaybetween the non-cellular radio network and the core network function ofthe cellular radio network is not configured, establish a connection toa legacy core network function of a legacy cellular radio network via alegacy gateway between the legacy core network function and thenon-cellular radio network, maintain, based at least in part on theaccess preference rule, the connection to the legacy core networkfunction of the legacy radio network via the legacy gateway, receive anaccess policy of the cellular radio network identifying an accesspreference rule for the UE to adopt for connections to a core networkfunction of the cellular radio network, the access preference ruleindicating for the UE to preferentially connect to the core networkfunction via a non-cellular radio network, identify a legacy accesspolicy of the legacy cellular radio network identifying a legacy accesspreference rule for the UE to adopt for connections to the legacy corenetwork function, the legacy access preference rule indicating for theUE to preferentially connect to the legacy core network function via thelegacy cellular radio network, and determine that a gateway selectionpolicy of the cellular radio network is not configured.

The communications manager 1210 may also establish a connection to alegacy core network function of a legacy cellular radio network via alegacy gateway between the legacy cellular radio network and anon-cellular radio network, establish a connection to a core networkfunction of a cellular radio network via a gateway between the cellularradio network and the non-cellular radio network, identify, for eachtraffic descriptor in the set of traffic descriptors, a legacy accesspolicy of the legacy cellular radio network identifying a legacy accesspreference rule for the UE to adopt for connections to the legacy corenetwork function, each legacy access preference rule indicating for theUE to preferentially connect to the legacy core network function via thelegacy cellular radio network or a non-cellular radio network for thetraffic descriptor and a legacy slice treatment for the trafficdescriptor, determine, for each traffic descriptor and based at least inpart on the legacy slice treatment and the slice treatment and based atleast in part on the access policy, to transfer the connectionassociated with the traffic descriptor to the core network function orto establish an updated connection for the traffic descriptor with thecore network function, and identify, for each traffic descriptor in theset of traffic descriptors, an access policy of the cellular radionetwork identifying an access preference rule for the UE to adopt forconnections to the core network function of the cellular radio network,each access preference rule indicating for the UE to preferentiallyconnect to the core network function via the cellular radio network orthe non-cellular radio network for the traffic descriptor and a slicetreatment for the traffic descriptor.

The I/O controller 1215 may manage input and output signals for thedevice 1205. The I/O controller 1215 may also manage peripherals notintegrated into the device 1205. In some cases, the I/O controller 1215may represent a physical connection or port to an external peripheral.In some cases, the I/O controller 1215 may utilize an operating systemsuch as iOS®, ANDROID®, MS-DOS®, MS-WINDOWS®, OS/2®, UNIX®, LINUX®, oranother known operating system. In other cases, the I/O controller 1215may represent or interact with a modem, a keyboard, a mouse, atouchscreen, or a similar device. In some cases, the I/O controller 1215may be implemented as part of a processor. In some cases, a user mayinteract with the device 1205 via the I/O controller 1215 or viahardware components controlled by the I/O controller 1215.

The transceiver 1220 may communicate bi-directionally, via one or moreantennas, wired, or wireless links as described above. For example, thetransceiver 1220 may represent a wireless transceiver and maycommunicate bi-directionally with another wireless transceiver. Thetransceiver 1220 may also include a modem to modulate the packets andprovide the modulated packets to the antennas for transmission, and todemodulate packets received from the antennas.

In some cases, the wireless device may include a single antenna 1225.However, in some cases the device may have more than one antenna 1225,which may be capable of concurrently transmitting or receiving multiplewireless transmissions.

The memory 1230 may include random access memory (RAM) and read-onlymemory (ROM). The memory 1230 may store computer-readable,computer-executable code 1235 including instructions that, whenexecuted, cause the processor to perform various functions describedherein. In some cases, the memory 1230 may contain, among other things,a basic input/output system (BIOS) which may control basic hardware orsoftware operation such as the interaction with peripheral components ordevices.

The processor 1240 may include an intelligent hardware device, (e.g., ageneral-purpose processor, a DSP, a CPU, a microcontroller, an ASIC, anFPGA, a programmable logic device, a discrete gate or transistor logiccomponent, a discrete hardware component, or any combination thereof).In some cases, the processor 1240 may be configured to operate a memoryarray using a memory controller. In other cases, a memory controller maybe integrated into the processor 1240. The processor 1240 may beconfigured to execute computer-readable instructions stored in a memory(e.g., the memory 1230) to cause the device 1205 to perform variousfunctions (e.g., functions or tasks supporting methods to handle slicingaccounting for evolved packet data gateway Wi-Fi access).

The code 1235 may include instructions to implement aspects of thepresent disclosure, including instructions to support wirelesscommunications. The code 1235 may be stored in a non-transitorycomputer-readable medium such as system memory or other type of memory.In some cases, the code 1235 may not be directly executable by theprocessor 1240 but may cause a computer (e.g., when compiled andexecuted) to perform functions described herein.

FIG. 13 shows a flowchart illustrating a method 1300 that supportsmethods to handle slicing accounting for evolved packet data gatewayWi-Fi access in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. Theoperations of method 1300 may be implemented by a UE 115 or itscomponents as described herein. For example, the operations of method1300 may be performed by a communications manager as described withreference to FIGS. 9 through 12 . In some examples, a UE may execute aset of instructions to control the functional elements of the UE toperform the functions described below. Additionally or alternatively, aUE may perform aspects of the functions described below usingspecial-purpose hardware.

At 1305, the UE may establish a cellular connection with a base stationassociated with a cellular radio network. The operations of 1305 may beperformed according to the methods described herein. In some examples,aspects of the operations of 1305 may be performed by a connectionmanager as described with reference to FIGS. 9 through 12 .

At 1310, the UE may receive an access policy of the cellular radionetwork identifying an access preference rule for the UE to adopt forconnections to a core network function of the cellular radio network,the access preference rule indicating for the UE to preferentiallyconnect to the core network function via a non-cellular radio network.The operations of 1310 may be performed according to the methodsdescribed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 1310may be performed by an access policy manager as described with referenceto FIGS. 9 through 12 .

At 1315, the UE may determine that a gateway between the non-cellularradio network and the core network function of the cellular radionetwork is not configured. The operations of 1315 may be performedaccording to the methods described herein. In some examples, aspects ofthe operations of 1315 may be performed by a gateway manager asdescribed with reference to FIGS. 9 through 12 .

At 1320, the UE may determine that a gateway selection policy of thecellular radio network is not configured. The operations of 1320 may beperformed according to the methods described herein. In some examples,aspects of the operations of 1320 may be performed by a gatewayselection policy manager as described with reference to FIGS. 9 through12 .

At 1325, the UE may establish, based at least in part on the accesspreference rule, the gateway not being configured, and the gatewayselection policy not being configured, a connection to a legacy corenetwork function of a legacy cellular radio network via a legacy gatewaybetween the non-cellular radio network and the legacy core networkfunction of the legacy cellular radio network. The operations of 1325may be performed according to the methods described herein. In someexamples, aspects of the operations of 1325 may be performed by aconnection manager as described with reference to FIGS. 9 through 12 .

FIG. 14 shows a flowchart illustrating a method 1400 that supportsmethods to handle slicing accounting for evolved packet data gatewayWi-Fi access in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. Theoperations of method 1400 may be implemented by a UE 115 or itscomponents as described herein. For example, the operations of method1400 may be performed by a communications manager as described withreference to FIGS. 9 through 12 . In some examples, a UE may execute aset of instructions to control the functional elements of the UE toperform the functions described below. Additionally or alternatively, aUE may perform aspects of the functions described below usingspecial-purpose hardware.

At 1405, the UE may establish a cellular connection with a base stationassociated with a cellular radio network. The operations of 1405 may beperformed according to the methods described herein. In some examples,aspects of the operations of 1405 may be performed by a connectionmanager as described with reference to FIGS. 9 through 12 .

At 1410, the UE may receive a configuration for connections via thenon-cellular radio network, the configuration configuring the UE toconnect to the legacy core network function or to connect to the corenetwork function via the non-cellular radio network. The operations of1410 may be performed according to the methods described herein. In someexamples, aspects of the operations of 1410 may be performed by aconnection configuration manager as described with reference to FIGS. 9through 12 .

At 1415, the UE may receive an access policy of the cellular radionetwork identifying an access preference rule for the UE to adopt forconnections to a core network function of the cellular radio network,the access preference rule indicating for the UE to preferentiallyconnect to the core network function via a non-cellular radio network.The operations of 1415 may be performed according to the methodsdescribed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 1415may be performed by an access policy manager as described with referenceto FIGS. 9 through 12 .

At 1420, the UE may determine that a gateway between the non-cellularradio network and the core network function of the cellular radionetwork is not configured. The operations of 1420 may be performedaccording to the methods described herein. In some examples, aspects ofthe operations of 1420 may be performed by a gateway manager asdescribed with reference to FIGS. 9 through 12 .

At 1425, the UE may determine that a gateway selection policy of thecellular radio network is not configured. The operations of 1425 may beperformed according to the methods described herein. In some examples,aspects of the operations of 1425 may be performed by a gatewayselection policy manager as described with reference to FIGS. 9 through12 .

At 1430, the UE may establish, based at least in part on the accesspreference rule, the gateway not being configured, and the gatewayselection policy not being configured, a connection to a legacy corenetwork function of a legacy cellular radio network via a legacy gatewaybetween the non-cellular radio network and the legacy core networkfunction of the legacy cellular radio network. The operations of 1430may be performed according to the methods described herein. In someexamples, aspects of the operations of 1430 may be performed by aconnection manager as described with reference to FIGS. 9 through 12 .

FIG. 15 shows a flowchart illustrating a method 1500 that supportsmethods to handle slicing accounting for evolved packet data gatewayWi-Fi access in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. Theoperations of method 1500 may be implemented by a UE 115 or itscomponents as described herein. For example, the operations of method1500 may be performed by a communications manager as described withreference to FIGS. 9 through 12 . In some examples, a UE may execute aset of instructions to control the functional elements of the UE toperform the functions described below. Additionally or alternatively, aUE may perform aspects of the functions described below usingspecial-purpose hardware.

At 1505, the UE may establish a cellular connection with a base stationassociated with a cellular radio network. The operations of 1505 may beperformed according to the methods described herein. In some examples,aspects of the operations of 1505 may be performed by a connectionmanager as described with reference to FIGS. 9 through 12 .

At 1510, the UE may receive a configuration for connections via thenon-cellular radio network, the configuration configuring the UE toattempt to connect to the core network function and, if the attempt toconnect to the core network function is unsuccessful, to connect to thelegacy core network function via the non-cellular radio network. Theoperations of 1510 may be performed according to the methods describedherein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 1510 may beperformed by a connection configuration manager as described withreference to FIGS. 9 through 12 .

At 1515, the UE may receive an access policy of the cellular radionetwork identifying an access preference rule for the UE to adopt forconnections to a core network function of the cellular radio network,the access preference rule indicating for the UE to preferentiallyconnect to the core network function via a non-cellular radio network.The operations of 1515 may be performed according to the methodsdescribed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 1515may be performed by an access policy manager as described with referenceto FIGS. 9 through 12 .

At 1520, the UE may determine that a gateway between the non-cellularradio network and the core network function of the cellular radionetwork is not configured. The operations of 1520 may be performedaccording to the methods described herein. In some examples, aspects ofthe operations of 1520 may be performed by a gateway manager asdescribed with reference to FIGS. 9 through 12 .

At 1525, the UE may determine that a gateway selection policy of thecellular radio network is not configured. The operations of 1525 may beperformed according to the methods described herein. In some examples,aspects of the operations of 1525 may be performed by a gatewayselection policy manager as described with reference to FIGS. 9 through12 .

At 1530, the UE may establish, based at least in part on the accesspreference rule, the gateway not being configured, and the gatewayselection policy not being configured, a connection to a legacy corenetwork function of a legacy cellular radio network via a legacy gatewaybetween the non-cellular radio network and the legacy core networkfunction of the legacy cellular radio network. The operations of 1530may be performed according to the methods described herein. In someexamples, aspects of the operations of 1530 may be performed by aconnection manager as described with reference to FIGS. 9 through 12 .

FIG. 16 shows a flowchart illustrating a method 1600 that supportsmethods to handle slicing accounting for evolved packet data gatewayWi-Fi access in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. Theoperations of method 1600 may be implemented by a UE 115 or itscomponents as described herein. For example, the operations of method1600 may be performed by a communications manager as described withreference to FIGS. 9 through 12 . In some examples, a UE may execute aset of instructions to control the functional elements of the UE toperform the functions described below. Additionally or alternatively, aUE may perform aspects of the functions described below usingspecial-purpose hardware.

At 1605, the UE may establish a cellular connection with a base stationassociated with a cellular radio network. The operations of 1605 may beperformed according to the methods described herein. In some examples,aspects of the operations of 1605 may be performed by a connectionmanager as described with reference to FIGS. 9 through 12 .

At 1610, the UE may receive an access policy of the cellular radionetwork identifying an access preference rule for the UE to adopt forconnections to a core network function of the cellular radio network,the access preference rule indicating for the UE to preferentiallyconnect to the core network function via the cellular radio network viaa gateway between the cellular radio network and the core networkfunction. The operations of 1610 may be performed according to themethods described herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of1610 may be performed by an access policy manager as described withreference to FIGS. 9 through 12 .

At 1615, the UE may determine that the gateway is not configured. Theoperations of 1615 may be performed according to the methods describedherein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 1615 may beperformed by a gateway manager as described with reference to FIGS. 9through 12 .

At 1620, the UE may determine that a gateway selection policy of thecellular radio network is not configured. The operations of 1620 may beperformed according to the methods described herein. In some examples,aspects of the operations of 1620 may be performed by a gatewayselection policy manager as described with reference to FIGS. 9 through12 .

At 1625, the UE may determine that the non-cellular radio network isavailable and that the cellular radio network has become unavailable.The operations of 1625 may be performed according to the methodsdescribed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 1625may be performed by a connection manager as described with reference toFIGS. 9 through 12 .

At 1630, the UE may establish, via the non-cellular radio network, aconnection to a legacy core network function of a legacy cellular radionetwork via a legacy gateway between the legacy core network functionand the non-cellular radio network. The operations of 1630 may beperformed according to the methods described herein. In some examples,aspects of the operations of 1630 may be performed by a connectionmanager as described with reference to FIGS. 9 through 12 .

At 1635, the UE may identify a legacy access policy of the legacycellular radio network identifying a legacy access preference rule forthe UE to adopt for connections to the legacy core network function, thelegacy access preference rule indicating for the UE to preferentiallyconnect to the legacy core network function via the non-cellular radionetwork. The operations of 1635 may be performed according to themethods described herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of1635 may be performed by an access policy manager as described withreference to FIGS. 9 through 12 .

At 1640, the UE may determine that the cellular radio network has becomeavailable to establish a new connection. The operations of 1640 may beperformed according to the methods described herein. In some examples,aspects of the operations of 1640 may be performed by a connectionmanager as described with reference to FIGS. 9 through 12 .

At 1645, the UE may establish, based at least on the access preferencerule, the new connection to the cellular radio network. The operationsof 1645 may be performed according to the methods described herein. Insome examples, aspects of the operations of 1645 may be performed by aconnection manager as described with reference to FIGS. 9 through 12 .

FIG. 17 shows a flowchart illustrating a method 1700 that supportsmethods to handle slicing accounting for evolved packet data gatewayWi-Fi access in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. Theoperations of method 1700 may be implemented by a UE 115 or itscomponents as described herein. For example, the operations of method1700 may be performed by a communications manager as described withreference to FIGS. 9 through 12 . In some examples, a UE may execute aset of instructions to control the functional elements of the UE toperform the functions described below. Additionally or alternatively, aUE may perform aspects of the functions described below usingspecial-purpose hardware.

At 1705, the UE may establish a cellular connection with a base stationassociated with a cellular radio network. The operations of 1705 may beperformed according to the methods described herein. In some examples,aspects of the operations of 1705 may be performed by a connectionmanager as described with reference to FIGS. 9 through 12 .

At 1710, the UE may receive an access policy of the cellular radionetwork identifying an access preference rule for the UE to adopt forconnections to a core network function of the cellular radio network,the access preference rule indicating for the UE to preferentiallyconnect to the core network function via a non-cellular radio network.The operations of 1710 may be performed according to the methodsdescribed herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 1710may be performed by an access policy manager as described with referenceto FIGS. 9 through 12 .

At 1715, the UE may determine that the non-cellular radio network isavailable and that a gateway between the non-cellular radio network andthe core network function of the cellular radio network is notconfigured. The operations of 1715 may be performed according to themethods described herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of1715 may be performed by a connection manager as described withreference to FIGS. 9 through 12 .

At 1720, the UE may determine that a gateway selection policy of thecellular radio network is not configured. The operations of 1720 may beperformed according to the methods described herein. In some examples,aspects of the operations of 1720 may be performed by a gatewayselection policy manager as described with reference to FIGS. 9 through12 .

At 1725, the UE may establish a connection to a legacy core networkfunction of a legacy cellular radio network via a legacy gateway betweenthe legacy core network function and the non-cellular radio network. Theoperations of 1725 may be performed according to the methods describedherein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 1725 may beperformed by a connection manager as described with reference to FIGS. 9through 12 .

At 1730, the UE may identify a legacy access policy of the legacycellular radio network identifying a legacy access preference rule forthe UE to adopt for connections to the legacy core network function, thelegacy access preference rule indicating for the UE to preferentiallyconnect to the legacy core network function via the legacy cellularradio network. The operations of 1730 may be performed according to themethods described herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of1730 may be performed by an access policy manager as described withreference to FIGS. 9 through 12 .

At 1735, the UE may maintain, based at least in part on the accesspreference rule, the connection to the legacy core network function ofthe legacy radio network via the legacy gateway. The operations of 1735may be performed according to the methods described herein. In someexamples, aspects of the operations of 1735 may be performed by aconnection manager as described with reference to FIGS. 9 through 12 .

FIG. 18 shows a flowchart illustrating a method 1800 that supportsmethods to handle slicing accounting for evolved packet data gatewayWi-Fi access in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. Theoperations of method 1800 may be implemented by a UE 115 or itscomponents as described herein. For example, the operations of method1800 may be performed by a communications manager as described withreference to FIGS. 9 through 12 . In some examples, a UE may execute aset of instructions to control the functional elements of the UE toperform the functions described below. Additionally or alternatively, aUE may perform aspects of the functions described below usingspecial-purpose hardware.

At 1805, the UE may establish a connection to a legacy core networkfunction of a legacy cellular radio network via a legacy gateway betweenthe legacy cellular radio network and a non-cellular radio network. Theoperations of 1805 may be performed according to the methods describedherein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 1805 may beperformed by a connection manager as described with reference to FIGS. 9through 12 .

At 1810, the UE may identify, for each traffic descriptor in the set oftraffic descriptors, a legacy access policy of the legacy cellular radionetwork identifying a legacy access preference rule for the UE to adoptfor connections to the legacy core network function, each legacy accesspreference rule indicating for the UE to preferentially connect to thelegacy core network function via the legacy cellular radio network or anon-cellular radio network for the traffic descriptor and a legacy slicetreatment for the traffic descriptor. The operations of 1810 may beperformed according to the methods described herein. In some examples,aspects of the operations of 1810 may be performed by a trafficdescriptor manager as described with reference to FIGS. 9 through 12 .

At 1815, the UE may establish a connection to a core network function ofa cellular radio network via a gateway between the cellular radionetwork and the non-cellular radio network. The operations of 1815 maybe performed according to the methods described herein. In someexamples, aspects of the operations of 1815 may be performed by aconnection manager as described with reference to FIGS. 9 through 12 .

At 1820, the UE may identify, for each traffic descriptor in the set oftraffic descriptors, an access policy of the cellular radio networkidentifying an access preference rule for the UE to adopt forconnections to the core network function of the cellular radio network,each access preference rule indicating for the UE to preferentiallyconnect to the core network function via the cellular radio network orthe non-cellular radio network for the traffic descriptor and a slicetreatment for the traffic descriptor. The operations of 1820 may beperformed according to the methods described herein. In some examples,aspects of the operations of 1820 may be performed by an access policymanager as described with reference to FIGS. 9 through 12 .

At 1825, the UE may determine, for each traffic descriptor and based atleast in part on the legacy slice treatment and the slice treatment andbased at least in part on the access policy, to transfer the connectionassociated with the traffic descriptor to the core network function orto establish an updated connection for the traffic descriptor with thecore network function. The operations of 1825 may be performed accordingto the methods described herein. In some examples, aspects of theoperations of 1825 may be performed by a traffic descriptor manager asdescribed with reference to FIGS. 9 through 12 .

It should be noted that the methods described herein describe possibleimplementations, and that the operations and the steps may be rearrangedor otherwise modified and that other implementations are possible.Further, aspects from two or more of the methods may be combined.

The following provides an overview of aspects of the present disclosure:

Aspect 1: A method for wireless communication at a UE, comprising:establishing a cellular connection with a base station associated with acellular radio network; receiving an access policy of the cellular radionetwork identifying an access preference rule for the UE to adopt forconnections to a core network function of the cellular radio network,the access preference rule indicating for the UE to preferentiallyconnect to the core network function via a non-cellular radio network;determining that a gateway between the non-cellular radio network andthe core network function of the cellular radio network is notconfigured; determining that a gateway selection policy of the cellularradio network is not configured; and establishing, based at least inpart on the access preference rule, the gateway not being configured,and the gateway selection policy not being configured, a connection to alegacy core network function of a legacy cellular radio network via alegacy gateway between the non-cellular radio network and the legacycore network function of the legacy cellular radio network.

Aspect 2: The method of aspect 1, further comprising: receiving aconfiguration for connections via the non-cellular radio network, theconfiguration configuring the UE to connect to the legacy core networkfunction or to connect to the core network function via the non-cellularradio network.

Aspect 3: The method of any of aspects 1 through 2, further comprising:receiving a configuration for connections via the non-cellular radionetwork, the configuration configuring the UE to attempt to connect tothe core network function and, if the attempt to connect to the corenetwork function is unsuccessful, to connect to the legacy core networkfunction via the non-cellular radio network.

Aspect 4: The method of any of aspects 1 through 3, wherein the cellularradio network comprises a fifth generation (5G) new radio (NR) standalone (SA) cellular radio network; the legacy cellular radio networkcomprises at least one of a fourth generation (4G) long term evolution(LTE) cellular radio network or a 5G NR non-stand alone (NSA) cellularradio network; the access policy comprises a UE route selection policy(URSP); the gateway selection policy comprises an access networkdiscovery selection policy (ANDSP); the gateway comprises a non-thirdgeneration partnership project (3GPP) interworking function (N3IWF)between the core network function of the 5G NR SA cellular radio networkand the non-cellular radio network; and the legacy gateway comprises anevolved packet data gateway (EPDG) between an evolved packet core (EPC)core network function of the 4G LTE cellular radio network or the 5G NRNSA cellular radio network and the non-cellular radio network.

Aspect 5: A method for wireless communication at a UE, comprising:establishing a cellular connection with a base station associated with acellular radio network; receiving an access policy of the cellular radionetwork identifying an access preference rule for the UE to adopt forconnections to a core network function of the cellular radio network,the access preference rule indicating for the UE to preferentiallyconnect to the core network function via the cellular radio network viaa gateway between the cellular radio network and the core networkfunction; determining that the gateway is not configured; determiningthat a gateway selection policy of the cellular radio network is notconfigured; determining that a non-cellular radio network is availableand that the cellular radio network has become unavailable;establishing, via the non-cellular radio network, a connection to alegacy core network function of a legacy cellular radio network via alegacy gateway between the legacy core network function and thenon-cellular radio network; identifying a legacy access policy of thelegacy cellular radio network identifying a legacy access preferencerule for the UE to adopt for connections to the legacy core networkfunction, the legacy access preference rule indicating for the UE topreferentially connect to the legacy core network function via thenon-cellular radio network; determining that the cellular radio networkhas become available to establish a new connection; and establishing,based at least on the access preference rule, the new connection to thecellular radio network.

Aspect 6: The method of aspect 5, further comprising: determining, basedat least in part on the new connection, that the gateway of the cellularradio network is configured; and transferring, based at least in part onthe access policy, the connection to the legacy core network function ofthe legacy cellular radio network via the legacy gateway to the corenetwork function of the cellular radio network via the gateway.

Aspect 7: The method of any of aspects 5 through 6, further comprising:receiving a configuration for connections via the non-cellular radionetwork, the configuration configuring the UE to connect to the legacycore network function or to connect to the core network function via thenon-cellular radio network.

Aspect 8: The method of any of aspects 5 through 7, further comprising:receiving a configuration for connections via the non-cellular radionetwork, the configuration configuring the UE to attempt to connect tothe core network function and, if the attempt to connect to the corenetwork function is unsuccessful, to connect to the legacy core networkfunction via the non-cellular radio network.

Aspect 9: The method of any of aspects 5 through 8, wherein the cellularradio network comprises a fifth generation (5G) new radio (NR) standalone (SA) cellular radio network; the legacy cellular radio networkcomprises at least one of a fourth generation (4G) long term evolution(LTE) cellular radio network or a 5G NR non-stand alone (NSA) cellularradio network; the access policy comprises a UE route selection policy(URSP); the gateway selection policy comprises an access networkdiscovery selection policy (ANDSP); the legacy access policy comprisesan access network discovery and selection function (ANDSF); the gatewaycomprises a non-third generation partnership project (3GPP) interworkingfunction (N3IWF) between the core network function of the 5G NR SAcellular radio network and the non-cellular radio network; and thelegacy gateway comprises an evolved packet data gateway (EPDG) betweenan evolved packet core (EPC) core network function of the 4G LTEcellular radio network or the 5G NR NSA cellular radio network and thenon-cellular radio network.

Aspect 10: A method for wireless communication at a UE, comprising:establishing a cellular connection with a base station associated with acellular radio network; receiving an access policy of the cellular radionetwork identifying an access preference rule for the UE to adopt forconnections to a core network function of the cellular radio network,the access preference rule indicating for the UE to preferentiallyconnect to the core network function via a non-cellular radio network;determining that the non-cellular radio network is available and that agateway between the non-cellular radio network and the core networkfunction of the cellular radio network is not configured; determiningthat a gateway selection policy of the cellular radio network is notconfigured; establishing a connection to a legacy core network functionof a legacy cellular radio network via a legacy gateway between thelegacy core network function and the non-cellular radio network;identifying a legacy access policy of the legacy cellular radio networkidentifying a legacy access preference rule for the UE to adopt forconnections to the legacy core network function, the legacy accesspreference rule indicating for the UE to preferentially connect to thelegacy core network function via the legacy cellular radio network; andmaintaining, based at least in part on the access preference rule, theconnection to the legacy core network function of the legacy radionetwork via the legacy gateway.

Aspect 11: The method of aspect 10, further comprising: receiving aconfiguration for connections via the non-cellular radio network, theconfiguration configuring the UE to connect to the legacy core networkfunction or to connect to the core network function via the non-cellularradio network.

Aspect 12: The method of any of aspects 10 through 11, furthercomprising: receiving a configuration for connections via thenon-cellular radio network, the configuration configuring the UE toattempt to connect to the core network function and, if the attempt toconnect to the core network function is unsuccessful, to connect to thelegacy core network function via the non-cellular radio network.

Aspect 13: The method of any of aspects 10 through 12, wherein thecellular radio network comprises a fifth generation (5G) new radio (NR)stand alone (SA) cellular radio network; the access policy comprises aUE route selection policy (URSP); the gateway selection policy comprisesan access network discovery selection policy (ANDSP); the legacy accesspolicy comprises an access network discovery and selection function(ANDSF); the gateway comprises a non-third generation partnershipproject (3GPP) interworking function (N3IWF) between the core networkfunction of the 5G NR SA cellular radio network and the non-cellularradio network; and the legacy gateway comprises an evolved packet datagateway (EPDG) to an evolved packet core (EPC) core network function ofthe 4G LTE cellular radio network or the 5G NR NSA cellular radionetwork and the non-cellular radio network.

Aspect 14: A method for wireless communications at a UE, comprising:establishing a connection to a legacy core network function of a legacycellular radio network via a legacy gateway between the legacy cellularradio network and a non-cellular radio network; identifying, for eachtraffic descriptor in a set of traffic descriptors, a legacy accesspolicy of the legacy cellular radio network identifying a legacy accesspreference rule for the UE to adopt for connections to the legacy corenetwork function, each legacy access preference rule indicating for theUE to preferentially connect to the legacy core network function via thelegacy cellular radio network or a non-cellular radio network for thetraffic descriptor and a legacy slice treatment for the trafficdescriptor; establishing a connection to a core network function of acellular radio network via a gateway between the cellular radio networkand the non-cellular radio network; identifying, for each trafficdescriptor in the set of traffic descriptors, an access policy of thecellular radio network identifying an access preference rule for the UEto adopt for connections to the core network function of the cellularradio network, each access preference rule indicating for the UE topreferentially connect to the core network function via the cellularradio network or the non-cellular radio network for the trafficdescriptor and a slice treatment for the traffic descriptor; anddetermining, for each traffic descriptor and based at least in part onthe legacy slice treatment and the slice treatment and based at least inpart on the access policy, to transfer the connection associated withthe traffic descriptor to the core network function or to establish anupdated connection for the traffic descriptor with the core networkfunction.

Aspect 15: The method of aspect 14, further comprising: determining, forat least two traffic descriptors in the set of traffic descriptors, thatthe legacy traffic descriptor and the traffic descriptor are a sametraffic descriptor; and transferring the connections for the at leasttwo traffic descriptors to the core network function.

Aspect 16: The method of any of aspects 14 through 15, furthercomprising: determining, for at least two traffic descriptors in the setof traffic descriptors, that the legacy traffic descriptor and thetraffic descriptor are different traffic descriptors; and updating theconnection for at least one of the two traffic descriptors with the corenetwork function.

Aspect 17: The method of any of aspects 14 through 16, furthercomprising: determining, for at least two traffic descriptors in the setof traffic descriptors that are associated with a same trafficdescriptor, that the legacy access policy and the access policy are asame access policy; and transferring the connections for the at leasttwo traffic descriptors to the core network function.

Aspect 18: The method of any of aspects 14 through 17, furthercomprising: determining, for at least two traffic descriptors in the setof traffic descriptors that are associated with a same trafficdescriptor, that the legacy access policy and the access policy are adifferent access policy; and updating the connection for at least one ofthe two traffic descriptors with the core network function.

Aspect 19: The method of any of aspects 14 through 18, wherein thecellular radio network comprises a fifth generation (5G) new radio (NR)stand alone (SA) cellular radio network; the legacy cellular radionetwork comprises at least one of a fourth generation (4G) long termevolution (LTE) cellular radio network or a 5G NR non-stand alone (NSA)cellular radio network; the access policy comprises a UE route selectionpolicy (URSP); the legacy access policy comprises an access networkdiscovery and selection function (ANDSF); the core network functioncomprises a 5G NR SA core network (5GC); the gateway comprises anon-third generation partnership project (3GPP) interworking function(N3IWF) between the core network function of the 5G NR SA cellular radionetwork and the non-cellular radio network; and the legacy gatewaycomprises an evolved packet data gateway (EPDG) between an evolvedpacket core (EPC) core network function of the 4G LTE cellular radionetwork or the 5G NR NSA cellular radio network and the non-cellularradio network.

Aspect 20: An apparatus for wireless communication at a UE, comprising aprocessor; memory coupled with the processor; and instructions stored inthe memory and executable by the processor to cause the apparatus toperform a method of any of aspects 1 through 4.

Aspect 21: An apparatus for wireless communication at a UE, comprisingat least one means for performing a method of any of aspects 1 through4.

Aspect 22: A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing code forwireless communication at a UE, the code comprising instructionsexecutable by a processor to perform a method of any of aspects 1through 4.

Aspect 23: An apparatus for wireless communication at a UE, comprising aprocessor; memory coupled with the processor; and instructions stored inthe memory and executable by the processor to cause the apparatus toperform a method of any of aspects 5 through 9.

Aspect 24: An apparatus for wireless communication at a UE, comprisingat least one means for performing a method of any of aspects 5 through9.

Aspect 25: A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing code forwireless communication at a UE, the code comprising instructionsexecutable by a processor to perform a method of any of aspects 5through 9.

Aspect 26: An apparatus for wireless communication at a UE, comprising aprocessor; memory coupled with the processor; and instructions stored inthe memory and executable by the processor to cause the apparatus toperform a method of any of aspects 10 through 13.

Aspect 27: An apparatus for wireless communication at a UE, comprisingat least one means for performing a method of any of aspects 10 through13.

Aspect 28: A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing code forwireless communication at a UE, the code comprising instructionsexecutable by a processor to perform a method of any of aspects 10through 13.

Aspect 29: An apparatus for wireless communications at a UE, comprisinga processor; memory coupled with the processor; and instructions storedin the memory and executable by the processor to cause the apparatus toperform a method of any of aspects 14 through 19.

Aspect 30: An apparatus for wireless communications at a UE, comprisingat least one means for performing a method of any of aspects 14 through19.

Aspect 31: A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing code forwireless communications at a UE, the code comprising instructionsexecutable by a processor to perform a method of any of aspects 14through 19.

Although aspects of an LTE, LTE-A, LTE-A Pro, or NR system may bedescribed for purposes of example, and LTE, LTE-A, LTE-A Pro, or NRterminology may be used in much of the description, the techniquesdescribed herein are applicable beyond LTE, LTE-A, LTE-A Pro, or NRnetworks. For example, the described techniques may be applicable tovarious other wireless communications systems such as Ultra MobileBroadband (UMB), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers(IEEE) 802.11 (Wi-Fi), IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX), IEEE 802.20, Flash-OFDM, aswell as other systems and radio technologies not explicitly mentionedherein.

Information and signals described herein may be represented using any ofa variety of different technologies and techniques. For example, data,instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, and chipsthat may be referenced throughout the description may be represented byvoltages, currents, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or particles,optical fields or particles, or any combination thereof.

The various illustrative blocks and components described in connectionwith the disclosure herein may be implemented or performed with ageneral-purpose processor, a DSP, an ASIC, a CPU, an FPGA or otherprogrammable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discretehardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform thefunctions described herein. A general-purpose processor may be amicroprocessor, but in the alternative, the processor may be anyprocessor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processormay also be implemented as a combination of computing devices (e.g., acombination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, oneor more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any othersuch configuration).

The functions described herein may be implemented in hardware, softwareexecuted by a processor, firmware, or any combination thereof. Ifimplemented in software executed by a processor, the functions may bestored on or transmitted over as one or more instructions or code on acomputer-readable medium. Other examples and implementations are withinthe scope of the disclosure and appended claims. For example, due to thenature of software, functions described herein may be implemented usingsoftware executed by a processor, hardware, firmware, hardwiring, orcombinations of any of these. Features implementing functions may alsobe physically located at various positions, including being distributedsuch that portions of functions are implemented at different physicallocations.

Computer-readable media includes both non-transitory computer storagemedia and communication media including any medium that facilitatestransfer of a computer program from one place to another. Anon-transitory storage medium may be any available medium that may beaccessed by a general-purpose or special purpose computer. By way ofexample, and not limitation, non-transitory computer-readable media mayinclude random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electricallyerasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), flash memory, compact disk (CD) ROMor other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magneticstorage devices, or any other non-transitory medium that may be used tocarry or store desired program code means in the form of instructions ordata structures and that may be accessed by a general-purpose orspecial-purpose computer, or a general-purpose or special-purposeprocessor. Also, any connection is properly termed a computer-readablemedium. For example, if the software is transmitted from a website,server, or other remote source using a coaxial cable, fiber optic cable,twisted pair, digital subscriber line (DSL), or wireless technologiessuch as infrared, radio, and microwave, then the coaxial cable, fiberoptic cable, twisted pair, DSL, or wireless technologies such asinfrared, radio, and microwave are included in the definition ofcomputer-readable medium. Disk and disc, as used herein, include CD,laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc (DVD), floppy disk andBlu-ray disc where disks usually reproduce data magnetically, whilediscs reproduce data optically with lasers. Combinations of the aboveare also included within the scope of computer-readable media.

As used herein, including in the claims, “or” as used in a list of items(e.g., a list of items prefaced by a phrase such as “at least one of” or“one or more of”) indicates an inclusive list such that, for example, alist of at least one of A, B, or C means A or B or C or AB or AC or BCor ABC (i.e., A and B and C). Also, as used herein, the phrase “based atleast in part on” shall not be construed as a reference to a closed setof conditions. For example, an example step that is described as “basedat least in part on condition A” may be based at least in part on both acondition A and a condition B without departing from the scope of thepresent disclosure. In other words, as used herein, the phrase “based atleast in part on” shall be construed in the same manner as the phrase“based at least in part on.”

In the appended figures, similar components or features may have thesame reference label. Further, various components of the same type maybe distinguished by following the reference label by a dash and a secondlabel that distinguishes among the similar components. If just the firstreference label is used in the specification, the description isapplicable to any one of the similar components having the same firstreference label irrespective of the second reference label, or othersubsequent reference label.

The description set forth herein, in connection with the appendeddrawings, describes example configurations and does not represent allthe examples that may be implemented or that are within the scope of theclaims. The term “example” used herein means “serving as an example,instance, or illustration,” and not “preferred” or “advantageous overother examples.” The detailed description includes specific details forthe purpose of providing an understanding of the described techniques.These techniques, however, may be practiced without these specificdetails. In some instances, known structures and devices are shown inblock diagram form in order to avoid obscuring the concepts of thedescribed examples.

The description herein is provided to enable a person having ordinaryskill in the art to make or use the disclosure. Various modifications tothe disclosure will be apparent to a person having ordinary skill in theart, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to othervariations without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Thus, thedisclosure is not limited to the examples and designs described herein,but is to be accorded the broadest scope consistent with the principlesand novel features disclosed herein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for wireless communication at a userequipment (UE), comprising: establishing a cellular connection with abase station associated with a cellular radio network; receiving anaccess policy of the cellular radio network identifying an accesspreference rule for the UE to adopt for connections to a core networkfunction of the cellular radio network, the access preference ruleindicating for the UE to preferentially connect to the core networkfunction via a non-cellular radio network; determining that a gatewaybetween the non-cellular radio network and the core network function ofthe cellular radio network is not configured; determining that a gatewayselection policy of the cellular radio network is not configured; andestablishing, based at least in part on the access preference rule, thegateway not being configured, and the gateway selection policy not beingconfigured, a connection to a legacy core network function of a legacycellular radio network via a legacy gateway between the non-cellularradio network and the legacy core network function of the legacycellular radio network.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:receiving a configuration for connections via the non-cellular radionetwork, the configuration configuring the UE to connect to the legacycore network function or to connect to the core network function via thenon-cellular radio network.
 3. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: receiving a configuration for connections via thenon-cellular radio network, the configuration configuring the UE toattempt to connect to the core network function and, if the attempt toconnect to the core network function is unsuccessful, to connect to thelegacy core network function via the non-cellular radio network.
 4. Themethod of claim 1, wherein: the cellular radio network comprises a fifthgeneration (5G) new radio (NR) stand alone (SA) cellular radio network;the legacy cellular radio network comprises at least one of a fourthgeneration (4G) long term evolution (LTE) cellular radio network or a 5GNR non-stand alone (NSA) cellular radio network; the access policycomprises a user equipment (UE) route selection policy (URSP); thegateway selection policy comprises an access network discovery selectionpolicy (ANDSP); the gateway comprises a non-third generation partnershipproject (3GPP) interworking function (N3IWF) between the core networkfunction of the 5G NR SA cellular radio network and the non-cellularradio network; and the legacy gateway comprises an evolved packet datagateway (EPDG) between an evolved packet core (EPC) core networkfunction of the 4G LTE cellular radio network or the 5G NR NSA cellularradio network and the non-cellular radio network.
 5. A method forwireless communication at a user equipment (UE), comprising:establishing a cellular connection with a base station associated with acellular radio network; receiving an access policy of the cellular radionetwork identifying an access preference rule for the UE to adopt forconnections to a core network function of the cellular radio network,the access preference rule indicating for the UE to preferentiallyconnect to the core network function via the cellular radio network viaa gateway between the cellular radio network and the core networkfunction; determining that the gateway is not configured; determiningthat a gateway selection policy of the cellular radio network is notconfigured; determining that a non-cellular radio network is availableand that the cellular radio network has become unavailable;establishing, via the non-cellular radio network, a connection to alegacy core network function of a legacy cellular radio network via alegacy gateway between the legacy core network function and thenon-cellular radio network; identifying a legacy access policy of thelegacy cellular radio network identifying a legacy access preferencerule for the UE to adopt for connections to the legacy core networkfunction, the legacy access preference rule indicating for the UE topreferentially connect to the legacy core network function via thenon-cellular radio network; determining that the cellular radio networkhas become available to establish a new connection; and establishing,based at least on the access preference rule, the new connection to thecellular radio network.
 6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:determining, based at least in part on the new connection, that thegateway of the cellular radio network is configured; and transferring,based at least in part on the access policy, the connection to thelegacy core network function of the legacy cellular radio network viathe legacy gateway to the core network function of the cellular radionetwork via the gateway.
 7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:receiving a configuration for connections via the non-cellular radionetwork, the configuration configuring the UE to connect to the legacycore network function or to connect to the core network function via thenon-cellular radio network.
 8. The method of claim 5, furthercomprising: receiving a configuration for connections via thenon-cellular radio network, the configuration configuring the UE toattempt to connect to the core network function and, if the attempt toconnect to the core network function is unsuccessful, to connect to thelegacy core network function via the non-cellular radio network.
 9. Themethod of claim 5, wherein: the cellular radio network comprises a fifthgeneration (5G) new radio (NR) stand alone (SA) cellular radio network;the legacy cellular radio network comprises at least one of a fourthgeneration (4G) long term evolution (LTE) cellular radio network or a 5GNR non-stand alone (NSA) cellular radio network; the access policycomprises a user equipment (UE) route selection policy (URSP); thegateway selection policy comprises an access network discovery selectionpolicy (ANDSP); the legacy access policy comprises an access networkdiscovery and selection function (ANDSF); the gateway comprises anon-third generation partnership project (3GPP) interworking function(N3IWF) between the core network function of the 5G NR SA cellular radionetwork and the non-cellular radio network; and the legacy gatewaycomprises an evolved packet data gateway (EPDG) between an evolvedpacket core (EPC) core network function of the 4G LTE cellular radionetwork or the 5G NR NSA cellular radio network and the non-cellularradio network.
 10. A method for wireless communication at a userequipment (UE), comprising: establishing a cellular connection with abase station associated with a cellular radio network; receiving anaccess policy of the cellular radio network identifying an accesspreference rule for the UE to adopt for connections to a core networkfunction of the cellular radio network, the access preference ruleindicating for the UE to preferentially connect to the core networkfunction via a non-cellular radio network; determining that thenon-cellular radio network is available and that a gateway between thenon-cellular radio network and the core network function of the cellularradio network is not configured; determining that a gateway selectionpolicy of the cellular radio network is not configured; establishing aconnection to a legacy core network function of a legacy cellular radionetwork via a legacy gateway between the legacy core network functionand the non-cellular radio network; identifying a legacy access policyof the legacy cellular radio network identifying a legacy accesspreference rule for the UE to adopt for connections to the legacy corenetwork function, the legacy access preference rule indicating for theUE to preferentially connect to the legacy core network function via thelegacy cellular radio network; and maintaining, based at least in parton the access preference rule, the connection to the legacy core networkfunction of the legacy cellular radio network via the legacy gateway.11. The method of claim 10, further comprising: receiving aconfiguration for connections via the non-cellular radio network, theconfiguration configuring the UE to connect to the legacy core networkfunction or to connect to the core network function via the non-cellularradio network.
 12. The method of claim 10, further comprising: receivinga configuration for connections via the non-cellular radio network, theconfiguration configuring the UE to attempt to connect to the corenetwork function and, if the attempt to connect to the core networkfunction is unsuccessful, to connect to the legacy core network functionvia the non-cellular radio network.
 13. The method of claim 10, wherein:the cellular radio network comprises a fifth generation (5G) new radio(NR) stand alone (SA) cellular radio network; the access policycomprises a user equipment (UE) route selection policy (URSP); thegateway selection policy comprises an access network discovery selectionpolicy (ANDSP); the legacy access policy comprises an access networkdiscovery and selection function (ANDSF); the gateway comprises anon-third generation partnership project (3GPP) interworking function(N3IWF) between the core network function of the 5G NR SA cellular radionetwork and the non-cellular radio network; and the legacy gatewaycomprises an evolved packet data gateway (EPDG) to an evolved packetcore (EPC) core network function of a fourth generation (4G) long termevolution (LTE) cellular radio network or a 5G NR non-stand alone (NSA)cellular radio network and the non-cellular radio network.
 14. Anapparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE),comprising: a processor; and memory coupled to the processor, theprocessor and memory operable to cause the apparatus to: establish acellular connection with a base station associated with a cellular radionetwork; receive an access policy of the cellular radio networkidentifying an access preference rule for the UE to adopt forconnections to a core network function of the cellular radio network,the access preference rule indicating for the UE to preferentiallyconnect to the core network function via a non-cellular radio network;determine that a gateway between the non-cellular radio network and thecore network function of the cellular radio network is not configured;determine that a gateway selection policy of the cellular radio networkis not configured; and establish, based at least in part on the accesspreference rule, the gateway not being configured, and the gatewayselection policy not being configured, a connection to a legacy corenetwork function of a legacy cellular radio network via a legacy gatewaybetween the non-cellular radio network and the legacy core networkfunction of the legacy cellular radio network.
 15. The apparatus ofclaim 14, the processor and memory further operable to cause theapparatus to: receive a configuration for connections via thenon-cellular radio network, the configuration configuring the UE toconnect to the legacy core network function or to connect to the corenetwork function via the non-cellular radio network.
 16. The apparatusof claim 14, the processor and memory further operable to cause theapparatus to: receive a configuration for connections via thenon-cellular radio network, the configuration configuring the UE toattempt to connect to the core network function and, if the attempt toconnect to the core network function is unsuccessful, to connect to thelegacy core network function via the non-cellular radio network.
 17. Theapparatus of claim 14, wherein: the cellular radio network comprises afifth generation (5G) new radio (NR) stand alone (SA) cellular radionetwork; the legacy cellular radio network comprises at least one of afourth generation (4G) long term evolution (LTE) cellular radio networkor a 5G NR non-stand alone (NSA) cellular radio network; the accesspolicy comprises a user equipment (UE) route selection policy (URSP);the gateway selection policy comprises an access network discoveryselection policy (ANDSP); the gateway comprises a non-third generationpartnership project (3GPP) interworking function (N3IWF) between thecore network function of the 5G NR SA cellular radio network and thenon-cellular radio network; and the legacy gateway comprises an evolvedpacket data gateway (EPDG) between an evolved packet core (EPC) corenetwork function of the 4G LTE cellular radio network or the 5G NR NSAcellular radio network and the non-cellular radio network.